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  • Stay in Fontainhas of Panjim at WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn - Offbeat Goa

    Panjim, the capital city of beach state Goa, India is one of those places most tourists would passingly visit while in Goa, but hardly know it. Panjim is not only the administrative center of Goa but also the the heart of history, culture and new age lifestyle of Goa. While most tourists prefer heading towards the overcrowded beaches of North Goa for a stay and some go down towards the secluded beaches of South Goa to relax, we realized that spending few days at Panjim was absolutely necessary to better understand the real Goa better. We found a wonderful heritage boutique hotel - 'Panjim Inn' located in the hub of Fontainhas of Old Panjim. We also realized that Panjim Inn itself is connected with an important piece of history. In this article of the series 'Offbeat Goa', we review our stay at WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn and show you what makes Panjim Inn so special. Read other blogs of the series ‘Offbeat Goa’ by clicking on the link or photos below: Dudhsagar Falls Tambdi Surla Temple and Waterfall Stay at Dudhsagar Plantation and Farmstay – A review Stay at Vivenda dos Palhacos – A review Hidden Gems of Veling – A walk with Soul Travelling Stay at WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn – A review - This article Fontainhas of Goa Fontainhas – A photojourney Places to visit in Panjim Divar Island The Welcomheritage Connection WelcomHeritage is the largest chain of heritage hotels in India offering experiences in traditional properties ranging from magnificent palaces, grand havelis to monumental forts. It aims to promote India's local culture, cuisine, art and tradition while providing unique heritage experiences to their guests. We got to stay in one such boutique ancestral property that is now a part of WelcomHeritage chain named Panjim Inn. Entangled history of Panjim Inn and Goa Goa was the first part of India colonized by Europeans in 1510 and interestingly the last part of India to be liberated in 1961, 14 years after British left India. Goa was captured by Indian Army through various strikes after Portuguese refused to hand over Goa and some other colonized areas to Independent India. After India captured Goa, there were plans of merging Goa with Maharashtra but through a historic opinion poll in 1967, people of Goa voted to be a separate state. This opinion poll was led by Dr. Jack De Sequeira who is now called father of opinion poll and credited with formation of Goa as a separate state. You can find life size statues of Dr. Sequeira installed at Calangute and Dona Paula in his remembrance. Panjim Inn was built by Francis Assis da Silveira in 1880s. It was converted into a heritage hotel by Ajit Sukhija, the fourth generation descendant of Silveira, making it the first heritage hotel of Goa. Ajit Sukhija and his son Jack Sukhija together manage the property today. Ajit Sukhija happens to be grandson of the father of opinion poll Dr. Jack De Sequeira. You see the connection now! Owned by the same family for over 5 generations, Panjim Inn is a 140-year-old Goan property set in the narrow lanes of Fontainhas in Panjim, which has been elegantly renovated to retain its old world charm of an era gone by. The family has taken utmost care to conserve and preserve the external facade of the building, the thick mud and clay stonewalls, Burmah teak beams and the wrought iron railings that run across the first-floor balcony and veranda. Panjim Inn is old yet elegant and traditional yet equipped with all modern luxuries. Today Panjim Inn has expanded to include 2 other nearby mansions - Panjim Pousada and Panjim Peoples. All the 3 restored mansions offer its guests a perfect Goan experience influenced by Portuguese architecture and culture. WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn, Goa Panjim Inn is settled between the multi-coloured buildings of Fontainhas. It houses 24 bedrooms divided into 3 different categories - 12 rooms in the old house and 12 rooms in the newly built section. Each room consists of a four-poster bed and furnished with antique furniture. Modern room facilities include air-conditioning, television, mini-refrigerator and an attached bath. The ground floor of Panjim Inn consists of the banquet area filled with antique Victorian style conversation sofas and the reception. Just above the reception is Panjim Inn's famous restaurant named Verandah. The second floor of Panjim Inn also houses a salon that provides therapies and massages. On the rooftop are a jacuzzi and a sunbathers lounge. WelcomHeritage Panjim Pousada, Goa Panjim Pousada is located down the street in the same lane as Panjim Inn. Panjim Pousada was once a lone Hindu house in a predominant Christian locality. The aesthetics of the old house (originally built in the 1930s) are still retained that consists of a central chowk (courtyard) where prayers were once performed around the Tulsi (basil) plant. This central space is open from the top allowing ample sunlight to seep through. Surrounding the chowk are 9 rooms (2 different categories) all equipped with modern facilities and antique furniture. The walls on all the sides are hung with paintings and local art. The antique Ganesha idol placed in the centre completes the decor of Panjim Pousada and gives it an old world charm. Panjim Pousada is perfect for guests looking for cosy get-togethers and workshops. WelcomHeritage Panjim Peoples, Goa Panjim Peoples was once Goa's first English medium school. It is renovated to be restored as the most luxurious of all the 3 mansions. It is located right opposite to Panjim Inn and houses 4 rooms on the first floor. All the rooms are extremely spacious and exude charm and character. The ground floor of Panjim Peoples building houses an art gallery named Gitanjali. Our Experience of staying in WelcomHeritage Panjim Peoples, Goa We opted to stay in one of the superior rooms at Panjim Peoples. Just the first look of our room and we were sold. It was way too beautiful. We felt like landing into an era gone by. Our room was adorned with handpicked Portuguese style old decor. The room was extremely huge with 2 big four-poster beds in the middle. The wooden canopy of the poster bed was draped by light white fabric giving it an elegant and classy look. The bedside table consisted of uniquely designed lampshades seemed to be made out of old mason jars or wine bottles. The carved rosewood almirah was huge enough to funnily fit one of us inside. The antique wooden dresser also having a mirror and a few drawers were carved with the best of craftsmanship. A round centre table has a marble top with 2 antique chairs completed the look of the swanky room. 3-4 large windows ran from ceiling to the floor of the walls providing amazing views, ample natural light, good ventilation and architectural character to the palatial room. Fine white curtains covered the huge windows. The room was decorated with old family photographs and contemporary art work. We immediately felt royal like a King and a Queen returned to their land after ages. The bathroom was royal too, with beautifully designed mosaic tile walls, a bathtub, a big basin, ample toiletries and lots of space. We danced to delight as we opened the balcony door; it opened right into the streets of Fontainhas just like pretty coloured streets of Greek Islands. Awed by the view, we stood in the balcony for as long as we could and soaked in the charming 18th-century ambience of the place. Panjim is a city brimming with historical importance and it gave us goosebumps to just witness the winding cobbled alleyways from the balcony. We wish we never had to get out of the room but the desire to roam in the pretty streets of Fontainhas of Panjim and the hunger pangs forced us to leave our room. Gallery Gitanjali, Goa We visited Gitanjali gallery located just below our room at WelcomHeritage Panjim Peoples. The art gallery houses several vibrant paintings, a few art books, board games and a small cafe. Gitanjali gallery hosts events and workshops for local as well as international artists. During our stay, the gallery displayed the paintings created by artists around the theme- The Sacred Feminine. Also displayed were the poetic responses to each painting. A few of them were exceptionally articulated and made us reason their deep meaning. Here are some pictures of the exquisite art pieces installed. Restaurant Verandah, Goa The Verandah restaurant is located on the first floor of Panjim Inn. It is being shared by all the 3 mansions. It serves Goan, Continental and Indian delicacies and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Just sitting at the restaurant, enjoying local cuisines and looking out at the streets watching people performing their daily chores was our favourite past-time. The meals were delicious and wholesome. Morning breakfast was served in the ground floor courtyard at Panjim Inn which was again a gastronomical affair. We spent the nights in the balcony with small Portugal-alike town in the backdrop. The streets became quieter as the moon rose and the lime, violet, crimson and teal coloured quaint buildings decorated with the typical azulejo tiles took us back into a different world - one with Spanish and Portuguese influence. WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn makes for a perfect base to explore the Latin quarters of Fontainhas. The biggest plus point is the central location of the hotel that makes it easier to visit the Panjim city centre, Miramar beach, beautiful whitewashed churches, heritage temples, nightclubs and the offshore casinos where everyday fortunes get made and many a times lost. The unique old-world yet modern setting of Panjim Inn is ideal for everyone right from honeymooners, solo travellers, friends and families. The ever-smiling and ready-to-help staff is another reason why everyone should opt to stay at WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn. You can book Panjim Inn from their official website or online portals below. Check out the current prices for Panjim Inn, Goa by clicking the below links - How did you find our review of WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn? Would you love staying in such an antique yet luxurious property? Do you know any other such offbeat beautiful places you would like us to review? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. PIN THESE IMAGES Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Panjim Inn. #India #WestIndia #Goa #BengaluruWeekendOutings #MumbaiWeekendOutings #HyderabadWeekendOutings#PuneWeekendOutings #Accommodation

  • Hidden Gems of Veling: A walk with Soul Travelling - Offbeat Goa

    Goa, an Indian state famous for beaches and booze attracts travelers from India and abroad. While the many happening beaches, cafes, casinos and some forts are the primary attractions visited by most, we have seen in this series Offbeat Goa that there is so much more to Goa than what meets the eye. In our endeavor to discover unexplored Goa, we came across a startup named Soul Travelling whose core mantra is to provide a platform that enables one to discover hidden gems of Goa. Eager to see Goa through their eyes, we joined them on a walk to a village named Veling. In this article we take you through this quaint little village in Goa and our experience of going on a walk with Soul Travelling. Read other blogs of the series ‘Offbeat Goa’ by clicking on the link or photos below: Dudhsagar Falls Tambdi Surla Temple and Waterfall Stay at Dudhsagar Plantation and Farmstay – A review Stay at Vivenda dos Palhacos – A review Hidden Gems of Veling – A walk with Soul Travelling - This article Stay at WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn – A review Fontainhas of Goa Fontainhas – A photojourney Places to visit in Panjim Divar Island Soul Travelling is the brainchild of Varun Hegde who quit his well-paid job in Europe and returned back to his birthplace in Goa to explore places in a different light. No one has ever seen Goa in a way as Soul Travellers do and that is all made possible by Varun and his team. From heritage walks of Mapusa, Vasco and Veling to pub crawl of Panjim, these guys know the hidden stories and untold mysteries of all these places. Each walk is guided by a local, making the walk more informative and personal. The walks are very well curated, researched and beautifully presented by the local guide. We are not particularly religious types nor do we prefer visiting religious buildings unless there is something interesting visually worth seeing or clicking. We had our doubts when we realized Veling would offer plenty of temples to see. But through this walk we realized that understanding the religious stories and beliefs gives a unique perspective. All you need is someone who can enlighten you on whats around. We have been to Goa quite a few times before but we never saw it in the way Soul Travelling made us see it. Though not a touristy spot, Veling in Goa has a lot to see and explore. It is a small village located in Ponda taluka and is located about 45-50 kilometres from the capital city of Panaji, Goa. A couple of temples of high religious significance are located in Veling that helped in moulding the rich history of the village. It is believed that all the deities in the temples of Veling were brought here somewhere around 16th century from other places in Goa. This was done to preserve the shrines from destruction by the Portuguese during inquisition. The shrines were shifted to new temples just outside the borders of the Portuguese controlled territories. Our heritage walk with Soul Travelling was named - Hidden gems of Veling and was hosted by Bhavesh. Bhavesh spent his entire childhood in Veling and knew every nook and corner of the village. He had witnessed all the festivities of the village firsthand and knew the cultural importance of the monuments present in the village. Our walk started with visiting the sacred Shri Laxmi Narasimha temple. According to history, the original temple of Shri Laxmi Narasimha was built in Salcete, Goa and the shrine was later shifted to Veling. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Laxmi and Lord Narasimha (4th incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Lord Narasimha is half human and half lion and the carvings in the temple depicts his story called the Narasimha Purana. The temple also displays colourful paintings of other incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Simple and plain from outside, the temple glistens with bright colours on the inside. A small step-well type tank right in front of the temple is used by devotees for bathing. The water tank is filled by an eternal spring with fresh water and is surrounded by coconut and palm trees. Bhavesh gave us many insights into the history of the temple, how it is managed now and what cultural significance it holds. Bhavesh next took us to Aapto tree thriving in the middle of a crossroad in the village. This particular tree holds high significance as every year deity from Shri Laxmi Narasimha temple is brought to this tree in a palanquin in a grand procession. The leaves of this tree are exchanged as a custom during Dusshera festival in India and are considered to be equivalent to gold. Bhavesh narrated stories of how this tradition started and how thousands of people gather around Aapto tree for the procession and exchange of leaves during Dusshera. This tradition is followed by Maharashtrians all over India and was very thought-provoking to know. We slowly walked towards Shri Shantadurga Shankhwaleshwari temple while listening to various other stories of Veling. Shri Shantadurga temple is dedicated to Goddess Shree Durga who is believed to have stopped a fierce-full war between Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Goddess Durga is in a calm composure in this temple; hence known as Shanta Durga. On festive occasions, a large golden palanquin placed in the temple courtyard carries the deity in a procession. Shri Shantadurga is Kuldevi (revered deity) to Hindu Goud Saraswat Brahmin community. The original place of this Shantadurga deity was at Quelossim, Goa. The Goddess was shifted to the new temple in Veling during the rule of the Portuguese government. The highlight of our heritage walk was visiting a 200-year-old house where Bhavesh and his family used to live till few years back. The two storey house is huge with a central courtyard that provided a lot of natural ventilation. The spacious house was once built with an intention to spend more time outside socializing with other family members rather than what is seen these days. The thick walls of the house ensured that the temperature inside the house remained cool throughout the year. The age-old wooden carvings over the ceilings and pillars were still intact. Bhavesh took us on the first floor narrating stories of how he used to have fun with his siblings and friends in the house and how the house used to function with so many people staying together as a joint family. We were fortunate to be in Veling during Ganesha celebrations. We witnessed making of Makhar - A seating made for Lord Ganesha in the form of a temple or a chariot. Makhars are made across Goa and Maharashtra using colourful paper, thermocol or tiles. Bhavesh invited each of us to play Goa's oldest musical instrument - Ghumat. It is a kettle-shaped instrument covered with goatskin membrane. The beats of ghumat were loud and the sound echoed in the big house. We also drew water from an open well at the rear end of the house using the traditional method of pulling bucket with a rope. The well has never run dry through the years and is surrounded by a small garden with mango trees. The elders in the house told us about Veling's famous festival - Jagor. Jagor is celebrated during the night and is also called as Night Vigil' or 'Staying awake for the Gods'. Musical drama and dance performances are staged all night to please God. We later visited the hall where Jagor takes place each year. Post that we savoured on the local breakfast arranged by Bhavesh. Veling certainly is a hidden gem of Goa with so many stories, beliefs, history and tradition. Our supposedly 2-hour walk turned into a 3-hour frenzy without our realization and we still did not have enough. Bhavesh was extremely patient and allowed us to soak in the essence of the village experience without any hurry. Everyone in Veling seemed to know him and that itself gave an authentic touch to the whole experience. No one else but a local would have made our walk such an enriching experience. Even as our walk ended, Bhavesh took us to Sateri temple located on the same road as Lakshmi Narasimha temple. There was no deity in the sanctum sanctorum of the small temple; rather an anthill is worshiped. It is believed that a snake lives inside the anthill and only comes out when someone behaves inappropriately or when someone with impure heart enters into temple premises. Scary to know! ​ Veling is just one such small village. Goa has so many more towns and villages and local traditions that still remain to be unfolded. Walk with Soul Travelling was an eye-opener that Goa is much much more than beaches and booze. We now know what to recommend friends and fellow travellers when they ask for offbeat experiences in Goa. We highly recommend walks with Soul Travelling as we ourselves look forward to many more of such walks with them. PIN THESE IMAGES What do you think about our walk discovering Veling? Would you like to join Soul Travelling for one such walks? Soul Travelling organizes such walks to Margao, Rachol, Mapusa, Moira, Chandor and more every month. Book your walk with Soul Travelling here. Let us know your thoughts about this article in comments section below. #India #WestIndia #Goa #BengaluruWeekendOutings #MumbaiWeekendOutings #HyderabadWeekendOutings#PuneWeekendOutings

  • Dudhsagar Plantation & Farmstay - Offbeat Goa

    The sound of chirping birds awakened us on a damp morning in Goa. Lazily walking outside on the verandah of our cottage, we witnessed the spice plantation bathing in warm sunlight. This was the beginning of our love affair with Goa’s spice estate. We had just spent a peaceful night in Goa’s best farm stay accommodation – Dudhsagar Plantation and Farmstay. The plantation also is the perfect hub to explore the surrounding forests of Bhagawan Mahaveer wildlife sanctuary and some waterfalls in it such as the famous Dudhsagar falls and Tambdi Surla Temple & waterfalls. Opting to stay in Dudhsagar Plantation and Farm stay turned out to be a wise decision and in this review of the property we will make you believe the same. Read other blogs of the series ‘Offbeat Goa’ by clicking on the link or photos below: Dudhsagar Falls Tambdi Surla Temple and Waterfall Stay at Dudhsagar Plantation and Farmstay – A review - This article Stay at Vivenda dos Palhacos – A review Hidden Gems of Veling – A walk with Soul Travelling Stay at WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn – A review Fontainhas of Goa Fontainhas – A photojourney Places to visit in Panjim Divar Island Location of Dudhsagar Plantation: Dudhsagar Plantation, surrounded by forests of the Western Ghats, is a 30-acre estate that stands amidst the aroma of spice gardens. No matter how much we live in an urban city, our souls always lie in the countryside. Eager to ditch the city life for a few days and spend a peaceful time in a traditional manner made us choose this family-run farm stay in a typical village in Karmane district of Goa. It is around 50 kms to the east of Goa International airport on the edge of Mollem National Park which is now renamed as Bhagwan Mahaveer wildlife sanctuary. The Dudhsagar Plantation Estate: Doris and Ajit Malkarnekar started cultivating this estate into a spice plantation in the 1980’s. Today, it is run and managed by Ajit and his son Ashok. With swaying palm trees, lush green landscape, fruit-bearing trees, spices, medicinal plants, and an eco-friendly swimming pool, Dudhsagar Plantation is completely in sync with nature and is a paradise for nature lovers. The farm stay started in 2012, is nurturing local biodiversity by rainwater harvesting, converting waste to biogas and protecting the flora and fauna. Our first impression of Dudhsagar Plantation: The roads that lead to Dudhsagar Plantation are smooth and in excellent condition. As soon as we reached Dudhsagar Plantation, we were welcomed by the fragrant smell of the spices. The parking area followed the staff quarters and cowshed. We were warmly greeted by Ashok and his son Alex in the huge dining space. By just the first look of the property, we were assured that we made the right decision to come here. The dining space is huge with a thatched patio and lots of seating space. A bar designed on one end and music woofers complete the look. As we were escorted to our room, we passed through plantation resembling a tropical forest with tall betel nut, palm and banana trees. Our cottage was spacious and simplistic with a double bed and a large washroom with adequate ventilation giving us a feeling of being close to nature. A huge verandah that opened in the front was great for a morning tea and a light snack. The 5 cottages were very well spaced apart to provide the privacy and feeling of oneness with nature. One of the cottage is a family cottage in case a larger group visits the place. The Spice Tour in Dudhsagar Plantation: In the evening, Ashok took us on one of the many farmstay activities – Spice Tour! Guiding us along the spice plantations in the spice garden, Ashok educated us about the different types of spices that were grown in this fertile land. We saw almost all kinds of spices like nutmeg, pepper, betel nut, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon; fruits trees like banana, pineapple, sapota, mango, papaya, butter fruit, passion fruit; the nitrogen-fixing plants and Goa’s famous cashew trees. We also happened to see an old well, a biogas plant, animals including pet dogs, cows and a porcupine while on the tour. The slurry from the biogas plant is further used as a fertilizer for the plants. Ashok explained to us how local alcohol – Kaju Feni (an alcoholic beverage made of cashew) is made at the in-house distillery. Spending his childhood in these estates, Ashok has tried to perfect his art of making Urak (beverage milder than Feni and made only in Goa). When we finally got to taste his in-house brew which he fondly calls Jungle Juice, we were reminded of the quaint bars in the small German towns. Our fantastic host at Dudhsagar Plantation: While cherishing the freshly cooked dinner, our host talked about how Goa has changed since the Portuguese left. Spending our free time in conversations with Ashok brought us closer to truly understanding the region’s complexities while enriching our journey with the rare tales of the Goan land. It was also interesting to know Ashok and his family, their global roots and goan hearts. Sipping on lemon tea post-dinner, Ashok helped us chart an itinerary for spending the next 2 days. Dudhsagar Plantation is a perfect base for visiting Dudhsagar Waterfalls and Tambdi Surla Temple and Tambdi Surla Waterfalls. Ashok and his son, Alex decided to accompany us to Tambdi Surla temple and falls the next day and to the Dudhsagar waterfalls on the day that followed. We slept peacefully to the sound of croaking of frogs, the thundering of clouds, rustling of leaves, constant chirping of crickets, and pitter-patter of raindrops. The next day as we woke up, we could slowly see the jungle come alive with sunlight sneaking in through the tall trees, absolute peace being disturbed only by the singing of birds and the raw freshness of nature yielding a unique energy to the place. If only we could capture the experience in our cameras! The Eco-Pool at Dudhsagar Plantation: We spent our morning lazing around the eco pool overlooking the plantation. Ajit and Ashok have brilliantly grown water purifying aquatic plants towards the shallow end of the pool to keep the water clean and fresh all the time. They do not use chlorine or any other chemicals to clean the water in the pool. A dip in the pool was rejuvenating. Spending idle time and chatting around on the lounge chairs surrounding the pool was certainly the highlight of our trip. Even a tributary of Dudhsagar River flows by from behind the farm stay in which one can swim but due to the monsoon, the water was flowing with full force and hence we did not feel safe to dive into the deep water. Tambdi Surla Waterfall and Temple near Dudhsagar Plantation: Ashok drove us to the base of the trek to Tambdi Surla waterfall. He had trekked this route several times before and hence volunteered to be our guide. We are so grateful that he volunteered, else we would have certainly lost our way in the hills. While Ashok doubled up as our guide, Alex was our motivator. We haven’t met a kid as active, energetic and talkative as Alex. The total 5-hour trek seemed like a piece of cake to him. Moreover, as we were shooing away all the insects and reptiles that came our way on our trek through the jungle, Alex was making us feel ashamed by being so comfortable around nature, trying to catch the frogs and moving around with snails and woodlice in his hands. Tambdi Surla waterfall was stunning and we were able to spend a good amount of time near to it. Post the waterfall, we visited Tambdi Surla Temple which is believed to be one of the oldest temple in Goa. A quick worship, offering flowers to Shiv Linga, answering multiple questions that Alex had and we were back to Dudhsagar Plantation tired enough to enjoy a cup of tea. A day well spent! Suggested read - You can read more about our experience while visiting Tambdi Surla Temple & Waterfall Dudhsagar Waterfalls near Dudhsagar Plantation: Knowing that we would need a guide for our visit to Dudhsagar Waterfall, Ashok made a few arrangements in the night and our guide was present the next morning to take us to Dudhsagar Falls along with other guests at the plantation. Since the jeep safari to Dudhsagar Falls was closed due to the monsoon, all of us staying at Dudhsagar Plantation decided to trek to the falls. Ashok and Alex accompanied us on this 22 km trek as well. Our guide, Sameer, took us through the forest, the rail track, and the jeep track to the base of Dudhsagar Falls. The trek was moderately difficult but we all were thrilled once we reached one of the highest waterfalls of India. Also exciting was to see a train run past the waterfalls right in front of it. Ashok also arranged lunch for all of us mid-way through the trek by requesting the villagers to cook us a meal. We were so tired by end of the day that we were thrilled we stayed so close to the starting point (Kulem) of the trek. Had we stayed close to the beach, it would have been excruciatingly painful to return after a physically tiring trek. Suggested read - You can read more about our experience while visiting Dudhsagar Waterfalls Food at Dudhsagar Plantation: We were lucky to have all our meals at Dudhsagar Plantation. The food served was fresh, homely and very tasty with the right amount of spices. All meals were light on the stomach and gave a homely feel. We also had authentic cuisines like Goan paos (bread), ghee in place of butter, coconut and passion fruit dessert and avocado chutney. We learned from Ashok that before they started the farm stay, folks visiting Dudhsagar and Tambdi Surla used to stop by at the spice plantation for a one time meal. And now we know why they did! The dining area is also the hub of Dudhsagar plantation where we spent most of our time. It is a great place to hang out and meet other like-minded travelers and have conversations. Other activities at Dudhsagar Plantation: We regret that we did not have enough time at Dudhsagar Plantation to participate in other activities. Apart from the ones mentioned above (Spice tour, swim in Dudhsagar river, lazing in Eco-pool and trek to Dudhsagar Falls and Tambdi Surla temple & waterfall), the farm stay also offers activities like cashew picking. This happens in months from April to June. The picked cashews are then washed, taken to the distillery and brewed to produce Feni. Village exploration around Dudhsagar Plantation on a route mapped by Ashok is another activity that travelers must be interested in. Birders from Goa happen to visit the farm stay quite often to spot and click rare birds. All in all, if you are looking for a home away from home and wish to spend some peaceful time with nature, then Dudhsagar Plantation is the place for you. Visit Dudhsagar Plantation and experience swimming in eco-pool, spotting butterflies and birds, walking through the nature trail, having a dip in the river, eating organic food, staying close to nature and an opportunity of meeting an amazing family. Note that the whole concept is to stay closer to raw nature and this means being okay with what the nature around you offers. If you are someone looking for luxury and room service, this may not be the place for you. PIN THESE IMAGES Hope you liked Dudhsagar Plantation Farm Stay as much as we did and plan to stay here during your trip to Offbeat Goa. You can book them from their official website here or one of the online portals below. Check out current prices of Dudhsagar Plantation by clicking the below links - What do you think of Dudhsagar Plantation Farm Stay? Is it the type of place you were always longing for? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Dudhsagar Plantation in any manner. #India #WestIndia #Goa #BengaluruWeekendOutings #MumbaiWeekendOutings #HyderabadWeekendOutings#PuneWeekendOutings #Accommodation

  • Visit group of monuments at Pattadakal and Aihole, Karnataka

    Pattadakal and Aihole in Karnataka, India are historically famous as the cradle of Hindu temple architecture. The architectural skills that the sculptors learnt in Badami were then further polished in the monuments of Pattadakal and Aihole. Pattadakal, Aihole and Badami are not as well-known as its neighbour Hampi, and hence can be counted as offbeat destinations. All these towns can be visited as a weekend trip from nearby metros like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. PATTADAKAL, KARNATAKA – INDIA: Pattadakal is basically a group of temples located in a huge complex. All the temples in the complex are mostly dedicated to Hindu and Jain deities and date back to the 7th and 8th century CE. The group of monuments at Pattadakal were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage site in the year 1987. They are of significant importance and are protected and managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. Location of Pattadakal, Karnataka, India: Pattadakal town is located in the northern part of the Indian state of Karnataka, approximately 22 kilometres away from Badami, 136 kilometres from Hampi, and 13 kilometres from Aihole. The town lies in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, on the west bank of the River Malaprabha. History of Pattadakal, Karnataka, India: Pattadakal, meaning – a place of coronation, was used to coronate the Kings during the Chalukya dynasty. The town, along with nearby Badami and Aihole, became a place of cultural and religious importance in that era. It was during that time the temple complex was built in Pattadakal where the architectural styles from northern and southern India were fused. After the fall of Chalukya empire, the town was under the rule of several other kingdoms. In 13th Century, under the reign of Delhi Sultans, the town was raided and plundered, and several temples were destroyed and looted. The reign again changed hands from Sultanate to Vijayanagara empire to Adil Shah dynasty to Mughal empire to Maratha empire to Haider Ali to Tipu Sultan and finally to the British empire in the late 18th century. Being ruled by such varied kingdoms and empires, Pattadakal temples today are an evidence of architectural art from all sorts of religions (including Islam, Hinduism and Jainism) and parts of India (north, central and south). The group of monuments at Pattadakal, Karnataka, India or Places to visit in Pattadakal: Out of the plenty of temples in Pattadakal temple complex, 10 are of major significance – 9 are Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and 1 is a Jain temple dedicated to a single Jina. All 10 temples are clustered together in one complex that is surrounded by gardens on all four sides. The ASI staff maintains the cleanliness of the entire complex and they have done a really great job at it. 1. Virupaksha temple This is the largest of all the temples at Pattadakal. It is built in Dravidian architectural site and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The intricate carvings on the interior and exterior walls of the temple depict images of Hindu deities like Narasimha, Nataraja, Vishnu, Brahma, Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi. It is said that the design and layout of the popular temple at Ellora Caves in Aurangabad is similar to that of Virupaksha temple of Pattadakal, Karnataka. 2. Mallikarjuna temple This temple is also dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to be built around the same time as Virupaksha temple. Small shrines of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Durga can be found inside the Mallikarjuna temple. Sculptures of Lord Krishna can also be found in the carvings at the walls of this temple. 3. Kashi Vishwanatha temple This temple is a comparatively smaller amongst the temples at Pattadakal. This temple resembles the other temples except that it sits on a raised platform with carvings of animal and bird designs. 4. Jambulingeshwara temple This temple highlights a beautiful sculpture of dancing Shiva and Parvati at the entrance. Jambulingeshwara is a small yet a beautiful temple built in north Indian style architecture. 5. Papanatha temple This temple is noted for its Dravidian and Nagara style architecture. The temple is long with several pillars and lacks consistency in architecture and sculpture details. Papanatha temple has intricate carvings of deities, and decorated mantapas. 6. Sangameshwara temple This temple has a square layout and is believed to be built between 720 and 733 CE. It is also believed that the Sangameshwara temple has been built over an existing older temple, that possibly dates back to 3rd century CE. 7. Chandrasekhara temple This is a small temple without a towering ceiling. The walls of Chadrasekhara temple lack ornamentation and extensive carvings. 8. Kadasiddheshwara temple Much of this temple is in ruins with damaged sculptures and eroded carvings. The Kadasiddheshwara temple is built in Nagara style architecture. 9. Galaganatha temple This temple is believed to be used for ceremonial functions as it has several mandapas in its architecture. The Galaganatha Temple is however mostly in ruins now. 10. Jain Narayana temple This is a Jain temple and has a statue of a Jain deity carved in its sanctum sanctorum. Jain Narayana temple is also long and has several mantapas containing seated Jinas. Apart from these 10 major temples, there are several other monuments in the Pattadakal temple complex that are worth a visit. You need at least 2 hours to visit all the temples and monuments in the Pattadakal complex. And if you are a history or architecture buff and wish to explore each temple properly, you will need more time. AIHOLE, KARNATAKA – INDIA: Aihole is another major archaeological site featuring cave temples that date back to the time period between 6th and 12th century CE. It is a small-town set amidst rural villages and farms. The monuments at Aihole are manged by the Archaeological Survey of India and are protected under the laws of Indian government. Location of Aihole, Karnataka, India: Aihole, again is located along the Malaprabha River valley in the Bagalkot district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is approximately 10 kilometres away from Pattadakal, 35 kilometres away from Badami and 138 kilometres away from Hampi. All of these towns are major centres of historically important Chalukya monuments. History of Aihole, Karnataka, India: Aihole was ruled by the Early Chalukya dynasty during the period between 6th to 8th century CE and by the Late Chalukya dynasty till 12th century CE. During this period, Aihole served as a hub of Hindu temple architecture. In the 13th century, the region was plundered by the Delhi Sultanates. The ruins were then protected by the Vijayanagara empire ill 15th century. After the collapse of Vijayanagara reign, Aihole came under the reins of Adil Shahi rule, post which it changed hands to the Mughal empire in the late 17th century. Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan conquered the town in the late 18th century, followed by the Britishers. For much of the 20th century, Aihole was neglected. The Indian government slowly started excavations and formations of archaeological parks. The artifacts were then preserved in ASI museum and the town became a centre of studies of Indian religion and art history. The group of temples in Aihole, Karnataka or Places to visit in Aihole: The temple architecture in Aihole is an experimentation with stone artwork, design styles, materials and construction techniques. These experimentations yielded the hundreds of temples that stand in Aihole today. There is about a hundred Hindu temples, a few Jain temples and one Buddhist temple in Aihole. The Hindu temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Durga and other Hindu deities, and the Jain temples are dedicated to Lord Parshvanath, Mahavira, Neminath and other Jain Tirthankaras. Most of the temples in Aihole are spread across a radius of 1 kilometre in a main complex at the centre of the town. The major monuments at the site are: 1. Durga temple Durga temple is the most exquisitely decorated monument in Aihole. The name of the temple is derived not from Goddess Durga but because of its proximity to a fort (Durg in Hindi language). Durga temple, standing on a high platform, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. 2. Lad Khan temple Lad Khan temple is named after a Muslim commander under Adil Shahi Sultan who stayed there for a brief period. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva with a seated Nandi in its front. 3. Meguti temple Meguti temple is a Jain temple built atop a small hill. Now in ruins, the temple sits on a high platform and has a carving of a Jain Tirthankara. The temple site provides a incredible view of the Aihole town. 4. Ravanphadi cave Ravanphadi cave temple is also located atop a small hill about a kilometre away from the Durga temple. The 6th century carvings in the temple depicts dancing Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya. 5. Hucchimalli temple Hucchimalli temple has shrines dedicated to Shaivism tradition. The sanctum is adorned with a sculpture of Vishnu standing atop a large cobra. 6. Suryanarayana temple Suryanarayana temple has a pyramidal shaped ‘shikara’ on the top. It has a Surya statue in a chariot in its sanctum sanctorum with each hand holding a lotus flower. 7. Konti group of temples These group of temples is located in the middle of the Aihole market street amidst the houses. The artwork in the temples are of unique perspectives with deities found in unusual postures. Beyond these temples, there are several hundreds of others, most of them in ruins. More temples are believed to be excavated every day that witness to the vigorous experimentation on temple architecture. How to reach Pattadakal and Aihole, Karnataka, India: Air: Belgaum, 150 kilometres away from Pattadakal and 164 kilometres from Aihole, is the nearest airport to the town of temples. From Belgaum airport, you can either hire a prepaid taxi or take a bus to Pattadakal and Aihole. Flights from major airports in India including Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru, operate to Belgaum. Rail: Pattadakal and Aihole do not have a railway station. You can reach Badami railway station and then take a bus or hired taxi to Pattadakal and Aihole. The Badami rail line is well connected with daily trains operating from Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad railway stations. The train journey is almost 12 hours long from both Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Road: Pattadakal and Aihole towns are well connected by road to nearby metros like Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. From Badami, Hampi, Hospet or Hubli, you can either hire a taxi or hop into a government bus to reach Pattadakal and Aihole, Karnataka. We rented a motorbike from Hampi and rode to Badami, Karnataka through the NH50 highway. We spent a night in Badami and after exploring the Badami caves and the surrounding temples, we rode to Pattadakal and finally to Aihole. The route from Hampi – Hospet – Badami – Pattadakal – Aihole is extremely scenic with several sunflowers’ fields on the way (if you travel in the month of August/ September). We stopped by at least 3-4 fields in between that were blooming with bright yellow sunflowers. Being a small town, there are hardly any options to stay in Pattadakal and Aihole. It is best that you book your stay in Badami, Karnataka. Both Pattadakal and Aihole can be visited as a day-trip from Badami. However, if you are a history buff and would like to explore minute details of each monument, you better visit both the towns on separate days. PIN THESE IMAGES Hope you got a better idea of the towns of Pattadakal and Aihole through this guide. Do let us know if you have any questions or if you feel we missed out on some crucial information.

  • La Villa Bethany - Boutique homestay in Landour - A review

    Our blog readers and people who know us closely know that we refrain writing about places that are too close to our heart. We love to keep such places as our own secret paradises. Why? Because we believe that by driving people to our off-the-beaten-track paradises, we are somehow ruining its charm. But we recently realized that as writers, it is wrong to drive people away from wonderful destinations; as they might come to know about it from someplace else and that could also lead to ruining the place. Instead, it is important for us (the writers) to highlight such destinations but also educate the tourists to travel responsibly and preserve and sustain the beauty of such places. Today, we are going to write about one such heavenly place - La Villa Bethany, a boutique homestay in the fairytale town of Landour near Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India. We hope our readers take our advice about travelling here responsibly. La Villa Bethany is a pet-friendly boutique homestay located in the sleepy town of Landour, just 3 kilometers away from Picture Palace, Mall road in Mussoorie, a popular hill station in Uttarakhand state of India. However, it is faraway from the heavy tourist traffic and over-development of Mussoorie. The English house is located on the Upper Chakkar Road in Landour just at the center of figure 8. (Read our previous blog on Landour to understand more). Ms. Sunita Kudle and Mr. Amarjeet Kudle were our hosts at La Villa Bethany and were in touch with us before our arrival for our whereabouts. The homestay was easy to find, thanks to the signboard on the road and the GPS. La Villa Bethany is situated on a ridge, down a steep slope from the road, offering a splendid view of the Doon Valley (Dehradun city). Ms. Sunita had sent a golf cart to pick us and our luggage from the main road. Loading our luggage in the cart, we decided to walk down the slope on the winding pathway. 'Welcome Home' exclaimed Sunita just as we entered the house of La Villa Bethany and those words stayed with us throughout our trip. Our room at La Villa Bethany, Landour Over a cup of ginger-lemon-honey tea, Ms. Sunita took told us everything about Landour and took us on a virtual tour of the offbeat town. Post our introduction to Landour, she escorted us to our room. We were allotted a room named 'Bag End'. Yes! it was ditto like the Hobbit hole straight out of Tolkien's books. The front door was perfectly round and the stairs leading to it were decorated with pot plants bearing pretty flowers. The door leads us into the large vestibule and the interiors knocked us off our feet. The cozy furnishings instantly made us feel like living underground. Kudle's Hobbit house was however larger than the Hobbit hole we had seen in the movies. It was divided into two sections - a bedroom and a seating room. The whole room was made of wood and ply. The furnishing was just adequate with a bed, a wardrobe and a table-chair in the bedroom and a single bed and two single-seater sofas in the seating room. Right in front of the bed was a big window that opened to the majestic valleys of Dehradun. A rack placed in the seating room was filled with interesting books, tea/ coffee makers and a few antique knick-knacks. The wooden floor was carpeted and burnt wood paintings were on display over all the walls. The creation of these paintings is an art called as pyrography (decorating wood by burning its surface) which is known to very few people in India and, Mr. Amarjeet Kudle, who himself has worked on creating these, is one of them. Tolkien's map of Middle-Earth was hung in a huge frame in the seating room. The bathroom was even cuter with a wooden barrel basin and a shower area. The exterior of the Hobbit House was covered in moss that looked like it belonged in the Shire. Walkway from one side led to a grassy rooftop porch with panoramic views of the Doon valley and Mussoorie town. The Bag End room at La Villa Bethany is supposed to be the only Hobbit hole in India and we were extremely happy that it was going to be our place for the next 3 nights. Rooms and common areas at La Villa Bethany, Landour La Villa Bethany has other 5 tastefully designed rooms and 1 log cabin; each different from the other and unique in its own way. While some rooms are named after people who have been prominent in discovering and preserving the town of Landour and Mussoorie (George Everest suite room, Colonel Angelo deluxe room, Captain Tailour deluxe room and Pahari Wilson's log cabin), the others are named to offer tribute to people who were instrumental in Sunita and Amarjeet's life (Bedell and Shaw suite rooms). In each of these rooms are framed photographs of these personalities explaining their contribution towards Landour, Mussoorie and Kudle's lives. Even the dining room and library are named after notable people like Captain Young and Mr. Mackinnon respectively. It was very interesting to know that every nook and corner of the homestay has a personal touch. Each of these rooms is furnished with old world furniture and decor and have all the basic modern amenities like LED TV, good wifi connectivity, an electric heater, tea/coffee maker and 24 hours solar heated water. The deluxe rooms are on the first floor of the main house that opens up to a relaxing lounge and a conservatory filled with flowering pot plants whereas the suite rooms open up to the views of stunning Doon valley. The garden in front of the house is very well maintained with lots of greenery owing to the trees and flowering plants. Even a small play area is installed in the garden to entertain children. Note - George Everest was a British surveyor and geographer who built his house in Mussoorie. Mt. Everest is named after him Colonel Angelo started the first bank in Mussoorie Captain Tailour erected the Christ Church in Mussoorie which is now a part of Kasmanda Palace Hotel Pahari Wilson who was involved in trading timber near Mussoorie that was used in building wooden sleepers for rail Mr. Mackinnon started weekly newspapers called 'The Hills' in Mussoorie Captain Young is the one who discovered Mussoorie The inspiring story of The Kudles of La Villa Bethany, Landour Apart from the beautiful homestay, what we found incredibly inspiring is the story of Sunita and Amarjeet Kudle. Both of them have worked in corporate offices for 15 years in the hospitality industry during the start of their career. While Amarjeet is Ex-Oberoi, Sunita is Ex-ITC employee. But now they have completely dedicated their life and energy into providing hospitality to its guests and preserving the sanctity of their home - La Villa Bethany. Their life events are as follows: 2006 - They gave birth to a charming daughter 2008 - Their daughter complained that her parents have no time for her 2009 - The family decided to take a break from their hectic work schedule and headed to Mussoorie for a vacation. They visited Landour, saw an old house in a dilapidated condition that belonged to Mission society and instantly fell in love with it. They pleaded the Mission society, who were short of funds, to restore it. On the other hand, the Mission society was inspired by their passion and offered them the house on lease for 40 years recommending them to restore it. And they agreed! They wanted to give more time to their daughter and give her a future that she deserved. They knew it was now or never. And just like that, in a flash of a few days, the house was theirs - their new home in the mountains 2010 to 2011 - They started restoring the house. They ensured that they creatively reuse every single element of the 100-year-old house during the restoration Late 2011 - La Villa Bethany opened its gates to the guests A moment of enlightenment, a twist in the tale, a step full of courage and they live happily ever after.... Isn't the story of Kudles like an inspiring movie? Responsible and sustainable practices at La Villa Bethany, Landour La Villa Bethany means a 'Place of Healing' and Kudles believe that this place has always been healing people's lives. Earlier, the house was a clinic to heal leprosy patients and now, it heals the body and soul of guests who visit the homestay by the unobstructed view of Mussoorie and Dehradun valleys and the 100% pure oxygen. La Villa Bethany is a green inn and is committed to providing responsible and sustainable tourism in the following ways: They use solar energy to heat their water and cook food They are involved in rainwater harvesting and have a storage capacity of 1,00,000 liters which makes them the only self-sufficient property in Mussoorie. They insist their guests to use a bucket instead of showers to avoid wastage of water. They actively support a couple of NGOs by providing toiletries (soaps and shampoo bars) locally made by them, thus working for their upliftment The linen in all the rooms, right from carpets to blankets to bedsheets, are handcrafted by underprivileged women and are procured from them They even have a small merchandise kiosk in the homestay if someone is interested to buy local handicrafts or cosmetics. The money earned from everything that is sold again goes to the NGO. All the construction material that is used in restoring the house is sourced locally and the projects are assigned to local talent They buy the fruits, vegetables and grocery used in the kitchen from local farmers and vendors All the food that is cooked at the homestay is first served to the guests and the family, then the staff and then to their 4 dogs; hence there is no food wastage. Everyone staying at La Villa Bethany premises eats the same food without any discrimination They provide employment opportunities to the locals from the mountains and most of their staff are people from nearby places They do not serve lunch at the homestay and ask their guests to support local business and try out local cuisines. Landour anyway has number of lovely cafes and eating joints. If any of the guests are not comfortable stepping out, they have menu cards of all the restaurants that deliver food from which the guests can choose and order They discourage guests to drive on the steep roads while coming from Mussoorie because of two reasons. One being the safety of the guests; the roads are extremely narrow and steep and not everyone is used to driving on such roads. Secondly, they do not want to create traffic in Landour and pollute its healthy environment. They have thus tied up with local taxi drivers to drive guests to La Villa Bethany, thus providing them employment opportunities They provide long term accommodation at slashed rates to students who have enrolled at Landour Language School We were so glad to speak with Sunita on all these initiatives that they have in place to provide work and employment to localites and support the local business. She was very patient will all our questions and we chatted like long-lost friends. She stated very humbly - 'There is a lot of talent and eagerness to work in the local people, we just have provided them with the right opportunities'. Ms. Sunita is also a secretary of KEEN (Keeping the Environment Ecologically Natural) where they have organised door-to-door garbage collection, segregation and disposal in Landour and Mussoorie. Owing to their wonderful work, the Kudles were awarded in the category of 'Best accommodation for local community' in 2012 by Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism; and it was just within 1 year La Villa Bethany's operations. Sunita and Amarjeet have also adopted two villages and helped them by providing cattle to earn a livelihood. In 2013, when Uttarakhand got flooded, the Kudles requested each of their guests to chip in some money to provide help and relief to the affected villagers. They were able to raise an amount of Rs. 20 lakhs through donations that were used to provide the villagers with long term sustainable relief by distributing them solar cookers, cattle, fishing nets and sewing machines. The Kudles have also been awarded REX Karamveer Puruskar in 2014 by International Confederation of NGO in collaboration with United Nations for their impressive work. They proudly display all their awards in the dining room. Food at La Villa Bethany, Landour The food at La Villa Bethany is prepared taking into care the dietary restrictions of the guests. English breakfast is served in the morning with an Indian option. The dinners are grand and each day a new style of cuisine is served. Everything is freshly made with the right amount of spices. The food is delicious and light on the stomach. We especially used to wait for desserts served at the end of the meal. Communal dinner is encouraged at La Villa Bethany at their 10-seater dining table. The guests can have breakfast at their own comfortable time but everyone is encouraged to eat dinner together with Kudles and the other guests. Since everyone gets together, there is ample opportunity to get to know each other and interact with people coming from different parts of the world with different backgrounds. It's amazing how a 30-minute meal affair turns into a 2-hour interactive session. Library at La Villa Bethany, Landour The library at La Villa Bethany is stocked with a great collection of books almost on every genre. They have a separate rack for books by Ruskin Bond and the other authors who have lived in Landour. The library also has a world map where each guest is requested to mark their home cities. It is a delight to see the map filled with so many crosses across all the countries. Sunita proudly says - 'This map is my life's earning. The world comes to meet me here at La Villa Bethany'. We had a wonderful time staying at La Villa Bethany. In the day time we used to explore places to in Landour, the evening was dedicated to spotting winterline and photography while the nights were spent interacting with Sunita and the other guests and reading books. Sipping a cup of coffee we used to enjoy the sunset from the window of our Hobbit hole. The sight of the glittering Doon valley in the evenings were just enough to pull away all the tiredness. The yak wool blankets, the electric heater and the hot water pouch in our room ensured we slept deeply like sleeping beauties. If you want to enjoy the bliss of doing nothing, spend a few days away from busy city life, take a walk amidst tall deodar and pine trees, breathe 100% pure oxygen, spot snow covered Himalayan peaks, photograph rare birds, savour your appetite, read books, meet interesting people, contribute to travelling responsibly, catch up on sleep, relax amongst mountains, and spoil yourself with wholehearted hospitality, then La Villa Bethany is certainly your kind of place! We would love to go back to Landour and La Villa Bethany to get away from the world for few days. You can book your stay at La Villa Bethany through their website. Just drop a mail or WhatsApp message to the Kudles and they will provide you with the best room after understanding your requirements and your taste. Your four legged friends can also tag along with you to La Villa Bethany! If you are wondering what you can do while staying at La Villa Bethany apart from relaxing, you still have not read our previous article on Things to do in Landour. Sunita and Amarjeet Kudle also have other properties in their portfolio and they take bookings for those as well. One of them is in Landour named Oakville (run as a heritage homestay) and one is situated in Jabarkhet named Rockville (run as a 3-bedroom BnB cottage that can accommodate up to 10 people). The Kudles are also coming up with new and unique accommodation very soon. PIN THESE IMAGES Have you ever found a place so heavenly that you have held it back from people you know might ruin its charm? What is your take on responsible and sustainable tourism? Did you love La Villa Bethany as much as we did? Do let us know in the comment section below. #India #NorthIndia #Uttarakhand #DelhiWeekendOutings #Accommodation

  • The Brigadiers Cottage - Homestay in Mussoorie (near Kempty Falls) - A review

    Mussoorie in Uttarakhand, India is a popular hill station flocked my many tourists through the year. While most visitors might prefer staying near Mall road - the most happening place in Mussoorie, we were looking for a quiet and peaceful accommodation in the countryside which would allow us to relax. Kempty falls, about 15 km away from Mussoorie is a famous waterfall visited by every tourist coming to Mussoorie. We found a boutique homestay near Kempty falls in just the perfect setting that we were looking for. In this article we will be reviewing The Brigadiers Cottage on the outskirts of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand and give you an insight on what it has to offer you. The Brigadiers Cottage is a pet-friendly homestay located in the hills, approximately 15 kilometers away from the hustle-bustle of Mussoorie town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. This boutique homestay is just a 5-minute walk away from the very famous waterfall of Mussoorie – Kempty Falls. Though being so close in proximity to Kempty Falls, The Brigadiers Cottage homestay is reasonably away from its maddening crowd and noise yet very close to nature. The cottage is beautifully tucked on the edge of a mountain and is surrounded by forested hills on all the sides with the Kempty River flowing down deep in the valley. The Brigadiers Cottage is owned by the loving couple, Mr. and Mrs. Verma, who come from a military family. The cottage is named as a tribute to Mr. Verma's father who was a brigadier. Mrs. Neetu Verma, manages The Brigadiers Cottage. She is a gracious and charming lady who was once into interior designing and jewellery designing and now has dedicated her time and efforts in providing unmatched hospitality to the guests who visit The Brigadiers Cottage. The road trip from Mussoorie to The Brigadiers Cottage was scenic with the winding roads surrounded by tall Deodar trees. Just 500-meter drive from the Kempty Falls, we found a big signboard of The Brigadiers Cottage to the right. We were greeted by one of the caretaker boys’ right on the road who was waiting for our arrival. The Brigadiers Cottage is situated at the end of a steep pathway down from the main road. As we walked down to the homestay, we felt peaceful. The Brigadiers Cottage is away from the noise of honking vehicles on the road. The caretaker boys greeted us warmly, helped with our luggage and quickly showed us our room towards the newly made section of the property. The entrance is very thoughtfully done and there is ample parking space for the guests’ vehicles. Our room at The Brigadiers Cottage was big, extremely spacious, warm and cosy. The room was complete with a king size bed with side lamps, a sofa, a TV and a cupboard. On a small table stood a tea/ coffee maker with delicious cookies in a jar. The floor was majorly covered with carpets and the linen was super comfortable. Best part was a large window that opened to a big balcony which further opened to the stunning views of the valley and the Kempty River flowing by. The ensuite bathroom was complete with a shower area, a basin and quality toiletries. We also had running hot water and an electric room heater to keep warm which was very thoughtful. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls of our room. Everything was in place and spic and span. The staff at The Brigadiers Cottage very lovingly prepared tea for us on our arrival and we decided to sip it in the lounge area. We were pleasantly surprised the moment we stepped in the lounge area. It was tastefully done up with striking décor and bright colors. The doors to the lounge area opened to a statue of Lord Buddha extending calmness to the place. Further down was the fireplace with two very comfortable relaxing chairs next to it and a small library with a great collection of interesting books on varied genres. The area had ample seating space, the best being the one next to the large picture windows providing a splendid view of the hills and mountains outside. The yellow lights and the magnificent chandelier provided a warm vibe to the whole setting. The entire place was designed very gracefully taking into account the minute details and oozed comfort and luxury. The interiors also had some antique artistic collectibles. Some board games in the lounge area was a thoughtful addition completing the place. The lounge area further led to a few other valley facing rooms and a dining area. The lobby to the dining area was painted with bright colors and was adorned with beautiful lamps. The dining area had a 10-seater dining table and an open kitchen. Other lobby areas around rooms were equally beautiful with artifacts and flower vases. The best place at The Brigadiers Cottage was the sizable open terrace. The terrace offered a breathtaking panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges and the forests. Patio umbrella tables and chairs were placed on the terrace if one wants to just sit, relax and enjoy the views. The Brigadiers Cottage also has a temple located in the estate with lots of empty space where one can practice yoga and meditation. At The Brigadiers Cottage, everything is personalized. We chose our own meal preference, our own meal timings and the dining space. One is even free to cook their own meals if they wish so. We had breakfast on the terrace and sipped tea relaxing in front of the fireplace. The staff provided utmost privacy yet were always there to tend to our requirements. They even offered us their scooter when we wished to explore the nearby villages. They made us feel at home and prepared delicious home-cooked meals for us. Once we asked them to prepare khichdi as we wanted to eat light and they prepared it just as per our taste and requirements with the right amount of spices. The buffet breakfast had an Indian option, tea/ coffee/ juice, bread, butter, jam, spreads and cookies. It was delightful listening to the chirping of birds and clucking of hens while having breakfast. One night, they arranged for a bonfire cum barbecue for us which was just so amazing. We never felt unsafe or left-out at The Brigadiers Cottage. We spent a lot of time on the open terrace and in our balcony spotting the different species of birds and trying to photograph them. The surrounding trees attract a lot of birds. It was extremely relaxing to sunbathe on the terrace on winter mornings and lend our ears to the gurgling stream of water from the Kempty River flowing deep down the valley. We read books, lounged near the picture windows staring at the picturesque valleys, woke up to the sound of birds, binged on scrumptious food, relaxed in front of the burning fireplace, spotted constellations in the pitch dark nights and had a time of our life. We even worked for a while during the daytime, thanks to their high-speed wi-fi. At Brigadiers Cottage they provide a portable Airtel wifi device which you can carry with you in your pocket. So there is no need to connect to different networks at room and lounge, the wifi device goes where you go. Meeting Mr. & Mrs. Verma was another highlight of our stay at The Brigadiers Cottage. Just getting to know their story and how they have been so courageous to put their lifetime earnings in building this cottage was just inspiring. Neetu was ever-smiling and customized everything she could for us to feel comfortable and at home. We talked like long lost friends with her about the place, the nearby areas, and about the culture in Mussoorie and Dehradun. She gave us tips for naturally making our hair soft and silky and shared recipes of her chocolate coated cookies with her. We tried out her recipe when we got back to our home and now chocolate coated cookies are our all-time go-to dessert and we are extremely grateful to her for being so family like. We even were informed that all the artistic paintings hung in The Brigadiers Cottage are made by her. She is also a tarot card reader and for us, she is a multi-tasker. We loved her passion and dedication to maintain the cottage. Did we tell you that your four-legged friends can accompany you on your vacation to The Brigadiers Cottage? They are a pet-friendly homestay and themselves have 4 dogs. Zorro, their Tibetan Mastiff was playful and very affectionate. What all can you do while at The Brigadiers Cottage: 1. Visit Kempty Falls – The waterfall is 5-minute walk away from The Brigadiers Cottage homestay. You can also enjoy the ropeway at the Kempty Falls 2. Visit nearby villages – The Brigadiers Cottage is surrounded by some picturesque villages. We visited the corn village Sainji, which was just 5 kilometers away. You can also visit the Bungalow Ki Kandi village and Atte ki chakki located nearby. Read more about Sainji village in our blog 'Unexplored places to visit near Mussoorie'. 3. Visit Mussoorie and Landour – You can go on a sightseeing tour of Mussoorie town and Landour. The staff at Brigadiers Cottage can arrange for a cab for you if need be. 4. Yamuna Bridge – You can take a trip to Yamuna River which is 15 kilometers away where you can enjoy river rafting and fishing. The staff at The Brigadiers Cottage can also prepare a lunch box for you for a picnic to Yamuna Bridge. 5. Visit the Kempty River – You can trek down the valley to the Kempty River and spend some good time there with a picnic basket. 6. Visit National Parks – The Benong National Park and The Jabarkhet Nature Reserve are not very far from The Brigadiers Cottage. You can plan to visit these while staying at the homestay. Read more about Jabarkhet nature reserve in our blog 'Unexplored places to visit near Mussoorie'. 7. Indulge in Kid’s activities – Your little ones can take the dogs for a walk, collect the eggs from the chickens, learn gardening, pluck the vegetables from their garden and play indoor and outdoor games. 8. Spend time at the cottage – You need not go anywhere. You can rest, relax, read books, spot birds, sip tea, sit around the fireplace, arrange a barbecue, light a bonfire and spend time with your loved ones on the open terrace or the balcony. The lovely surroundings and the tasteful interiors of the cottage can make your day. We had an absolutely fulfilling time staying at The Brigadiers Cottage and we surely recommend this homestay to anyone who is looking out for some peace and serenity. It is also a perfect place if you want to go as a group and spend some time with your friends and family. A big shout-out to the Vermas to have brought up this excellent homestay and running it so well. PIN THESE IMAGES How did you like our review of The Brigadiers Cottage? Would you like to stay at this homestay? Do let us know in the comment section below. #India #NorthIndia #Uttarakhand #DelhiWeekendOutings #Accommodation

  • Walterre - Recommended boutique stay in Dehradun

    In our last blog, we wrote about Dehradun and places to visit in Dehradun. Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand state in India, was once known for its pleasant climate and lush green environment landscaped with litchi orchards and tea gardens. However, over the years, Dehradun has seemed to lose its charm to infrastructure development. The fruit trees have felled and constructions have dotted the landscape. But just around 12 kms from the center of concrete jungle, right on the edge of Dehradun on the way to Mussoorie (a hill station near Dehradun), is a hidden gem that we discovered - Walterre resort. Walterre, a boutique homestay (they are also referred as resort), is Mr. Bikram Grewal's house converted into a homestay. In this article, we are going to review Walterre, share with you our experience of staying with them and show you why we would recommend staying at Walterre while in Dehradun. Mr. Grewal is an ornithologist (expert on birds), an author, a conservationist and an avid bird-watcher from Delhi. He has authored several books on Indian birds. Walterre Homestay is one of his efforts to save the environment, protect the wildlife (particularly birds) and build a safe habitat for them. Mr. Grewal built Walterre Homestay in the early 2000s and since then it has become a paradise for bird lovers and photographers who often come here just to spend some time with the rare birds that visit the homestay. The rare species of Nepal Wren Babbler was first spotted at Walterre Homestay in India. Mr. Grewal has grown several bird-attracting trees in his 3-acre estate to attract several species of birds and the checklist of the 350 species of birds spotted here are the fruits of his hard work and dedication. Note that while we refer Walterre as a homestay, the owners occasionally visit it and do not stay here full time. It is also different from traditional homestays as you do get serviced by staff just like a hotel or resort. It is hence kind of a crossover of a boutique hotel and a homestay. Location of Walterre, Dehradun Walterre Homestay is located close to Malsi area in Dehradun just below the hill station of Mussoorie. Walterre homestay is close to 40 kilometers from Jolly Grant airport, Dehradun in a village named Guniyal gaon. It is advisable to hire a private cab to reach here. Mr. Rajesh, our host at Walterre Homestay, helped us with proper directions to reach Walterre and co-ordinated with us from the morning to check on our arrival. If you are lost with directions, you can easily find another property named Shaheen Bagh on Google maps or even on hoardings. Walterre and Shaheen bagh have common entrance and parking area. As we reached the parking area of Walterre, we were piqued by the whereabouts of the homestay. Well, it was hidden in the lush green garden 50 steps beneath the parking bay. Descending the steps, we felt like entering a paradise. All the noise of traffic and car honking were suddenly replaced by the pleasant sounds of birds chirping and trees swaying. Our Peacock room at Walterre, Dehradun As we walked past the drawing room and dining room of Walterre Homestay to the first floor, we were awed by the colonial design of the house. The very first look of our room on the first floor made us jump with joy. Our room's name was Peacock room and was themed blue. The room was furnished with antique traditional wood furniture which included a four-poster bed, a wooden carved almirah (cupboard), a dressing cum working table and a wooden sofa. The floor was wooden too and was covered with beautiful carpets. A big window opened out to a terrace at one end of the bedroom. All the linen right from the duvet, the cushion covers and the curtains were blue in color which gave a relaxed vibe to the room's theme. The 4-poster bed accentuated the beauty of the room; it had beautiful Lord Krishna's painting at the bed-rest and towards the side and the lovely yellow lamps on both the sides gave extra warmth to its design. The ensuite bathroom was as big as the bedroom with a bathtub, a basin-cabinet, a comfortable relaxing chair and an antique wooden cloth hanger. The window from the bathroom opened towards the upper garden. Right adjacent to the bedroom was a seating room with an enormous window opening to the garden; this room was again themed blue. The colonial styled room was fitted with all the modern amenities like an air-conditioner (for summer), a room-heater (for winter), a tea/coffee maker, an LCD TV and a geyser. We instantly felt like home in our cosy room. Click on any image to enlarge The layout of Walterre, Dehradun We were very impressed by the layout of the entire Walterre House. The house is landscaped and space is organized into two levels. The entrance is from the flat upper garden and down a steep slope is the flat lower garden. The terracing of the levels helps the house blend with the trees that dot the land. Only someone who stays in the house or the guests who visit are aware of the actual size of the house as it spills down the slope. The Walterre Homestay is two-storeyed with a large drawing room cum dining room, a kitchen and 2 bedrooms on the ground floor and a library, 2 bedrooms and a massive terrace balcony on the first floor. It's only when one descends to the lower garden and looks back towards the house that they get the full magnitude of the four-bedroom building. All the bedrooms are named after birds owing to the love of birds Mr. Grewal has. The names of the rooms are - Peacock room and Oriole room on the first floor and Mallard room and Tragopan room on the ground floor. Click on any image to enlarge Open terrace at Walterre, Dehradun All the rooms have 4-poster beds and an attached bathroom. The drawing room has a fireplace, comfortable seating space and large glass windows overlooking the lower garden. The library on the first-floor is very well-stocked with interesting books on a variety of subjects. However, the highlight of the entire house was the first floor open terrace. The semi-covered terrace is furnished with sofas, comfortable chairs and a dining table. Large, ornate wooden pillars support the semi-covered roof of the terrace just like the old traditional houses in Tamil Nadu or Kerala in South India. We spent some of our best times in Walterre on this open terrace lounging (even sleeping) on the comfortable sofas, sun-bathing, breathing 100% pure oxygen, appreciating the beauty of rain, delving into deep conversations, savouring a cup of tea, relishing long delicious breakfasts, reading books, spotting varieties of birds, clicking them, listening to their pleasant chirping and feasting our eyes on the scenic vista of Mussoorie city, blue skies and surrounding mountains. Click on any image to enlarge Decoratives at Walterre, Dehradun The entire house is tastefully decorated with antique furniture and other ornamental knick-knacks like bottles, bowls, pots, coat hanger, wooden chairs, etc. that Mr. Grewal and family have seemed to collect over the years. Rare historical lithographs and paintings of numerous different species of birds, trees and leaves adorn the walls of all the rooms. Every nook and corner has something unique and space is very well utilized. Nothing seemed undone or overdone and each item blends in smoothly with the aesthetic of the place. A big shout-out to Mr. Grewal and his family's taste in design, creativity and vision. Click on any image to enlarge Gardens at Walterre, Dehradun Both the upper and lower garden, as well as the open terrace, are filled with flowering pots, climbers, creepers and other beautiful exotic plants. The pathways from the parking area to the Walterre homestay entrance is also filled with a variety of ferns, bushes, lilies and fruit orchards. All this greenery also helps in attracting the several species of birds that visit Walterre. We even learnt a few basic tricks about growing flowering plants from the gardener. Food at Walterre, Dehradun The food served at Walterre Homestay was freshly prepared and immensely tasty. They do not have any set menu and the cook used to consult us every morning to inquire about our lunch and dinner choices. There was always a mouth-watering sweet dish served after the meals. We were also asked for tea several times a day. Every morning, we used to have breakfast on the first-floor terrace with the company of delightfully chirping birds. We had some great conversation with other guests staying at Walterre at the 8-seater dining table. The staff was ever-smiling and made us feel at home. Right from the cook to the gardener, everyone was well-trained, professional and up for a good conversation. Mr. Rajesh took great care of ourselves always enquiring if we were happy with the stay. He also called one of his friends to ask about the weather situation in Mussoorie when we heard that the roads to Mussoorie had closed due to heavy snowfall. He was very accommodative and happy to answer all our questions about the homestay and Dehradun. Things to do when staying at Walterre Homestay: 1. Walk in the narrow lanes and enjoy the scenic beauty: We hiked down to Tons River which was hardly a kilometer walk behind Walterre Homestay. Mr. Rajesh sent the gardener with us to guide our way to the river. It was great to speak with him and he showed us a way across the river to reach a bigger stream in the morning. We also walked through the picturesque villages nearby. We were intrigued by the beautiful houses of Guniyal Gaon and later came to know from Mr. Rajesh that some of the big shots have their residencies in this part of Dehradun. Abhimanyu Cricket Academy is another spot that we loved walking to. 2. Spot the different species of birds: We might have spotted at least 50 different birds just by sitting on the open terrace of Walterre Homestay. We even photographed some of those but the others were very restless and did not give us a chance to click them. To name a few, we spotted Fork-tailed Drongo Cuckoo, White-crested Laughing Thrush, Black-chinned Babbler, Speckled Piculet, Black European Starling, Red-billed Leiothrix and Red-vented Bulbul. Every morning, we used to wake up by the loud chirping of the birds in the gardens as if they were arguing with each other. You can also go on birding walks with one of the staff members around the area. 3. Eat, Read, Sleep, Repeat: Walterre Homestay is a perfect getaway from the busy city life. It is a go-to place to relax, read, eat, sleep and enjoy a quiet time. Did we mention you can also get a lovely view of Mussoorie from the open terrace? 4. Sightseeing in Dehradun: Honestly, we had plans to visit a few places in Dehradun during our stay; but we loved the homestay and its peaceful atmosphere so much that we decided not to leave this heaven for even half a day and postponed our plans to some other day. But one can easily call a cab and head to some great places to visit in Dehradun. Mr. Rajesh is the go to person if you need a cab. All in all, we had a wonderful stay at Walterre Homestay and would highly recommend it anytime to anyone who is looking for a holiday in a home away from home. The place is for nature lovers, bird lovers, photographers and peace lovers; be it family or friends or couples or even solo-travelers for that matter. Who wouldn't want a relaxed vacation away from maddening crowds of the city and who wouldn't love to wake up to the chirping of birds, sunbathe on a big terrace and read their favourite book sipping a cup of tea all day long?! Please note: A private vehicle is required to reach the resort. Shared autos, shared cabs or buses will not help you reach here. If you do not have private vehicle, you can hire a taxi or Ola to reach here There are no shops or medical stores near Walterre, so please carry your specific requirements with you. However, if you need anything, the staff would surely take care of it. This place is not for someone who wants to party, drink or play loud music. Walterre Homestay and its surroundings are quiet and peaceful; help them maintain their USP. PIN THESE IMAGES You can book yourself a relaxed vacation in Walterre Homestay, Dehradun through their website or any of the below travel portals. Did you like our review of Walterre Homestay? Let us know in the comment section below. #India #NorthIndia #Uttarakhand #DelhiWeekendOutings #Accommodation

  • Purushwadi Fireflies Festival, Maharashtra

    Rural tourism seems to be the next big travel thing in India. Most people now look out for vacations that are closer to nature, away from city life and where they get to experience something new. Rural tourism fits right in! We too make it a point to visit a village at least once a year and experience the village life, live like a villager. One such attempt took us to Purushwadi, a small village of around 100 houses in hinterlands of Maharashtra state in India. Purushwadi is mainly famous for 'The Fireflies Festival' as branded by Grassroutes, an organization focused on creating rural experiences for travellers and provide livelihood opportunities to villagers. However, we realized that Purushwadi is much more than the fireflies festival. In this article, we introduce you to Purushwadi and Firefly Festival. We also guide you to plan a trip to Purushwadi village. ​​Purushwadi is a small idyllic tribal village situated in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is nestled in the Western Ghats between Mula River and Pravara River. It is located 190 kilometres away from Mumbai and 100 kilometres away from Nashik, Maharashtra. Purushwadi village has been made famous by an organization named Grassroutes. They have set-up a camping site and organize a 2-day trip to Purushwadi village for the firefly festival. They charge around INR 4000 per head per night for stay, food and activities. We felt that it was exorbitantly overpriced and not worth it. So we decided to do the trip on our own. In Purushwadi, we experienced staying at a village homestay, the traditional village lifestyle, delicious homemade food, wholehearted hospitality of the villagers and nature's magic of firefly illumination during the nights. Read our other articles on Purushwadi village - A Photo journey and Things to do in and around Purushwadi by clicking on the images below How to reach Purushwadi village: By Road - Purushwadi can be reached only by road. Since it is located somewhere in the middle of Mumbai, Pune and Nasik (closer to Nasik), you can reach any of these major cities through air, rail or road and then travel by road to Purushwadi. You can hire a cab or rent a bike/car in any of these cities and drive to Purushwadi. By Rail - Igatpuri which is 70 km from Purushwadi is the closest railway station. You can reach Igatpuri by rail and then wait for a bus or shared cabs. Note that the frequency is not too good and you might have to wait longer for government bus to arrive or shared cab to be filled by enough people. Mumbai to Purushwadi - We travelled to Purushwadi to witness the firefly festival from Thane, Mumbai on a motorbike. The highway from Thane to Igatpuri was excellent and we drove at a good speed. Just after Igatpuri, we took a right turn towards the Grand Garden Resort and Spa and drove on that road till Wasali-cross as suggested by our Instagram friend who had previously been to Purushwadi on a motorbike. This was a single road passing through villages but was very good in condition except for a lot of speed breakers. The drive on this road was one of the most scenic drives we have ever been to. The road was surrounded by small cute villages which were full of greenery and we stopped more often to take photographs than we thought we would. Not to forget, the roads were awesome as well. From Wasali-cross to Rajur, the road was good to drive but the last stretch of 15 kilometres from Rajur to Purushwadi was pretty bad in condition and it took us more than 40 minutes to cover this stretch. Tip: There is no mobile network in Purushwadi (Airtel and Vodafone) - so make sure you download google maps of that area in advance. It will help you navigate better. However, you can anytime stop by and ask a villager for the directions. How to find a stay in Purushwadi village: As we did not want to book our stay with Grassroutes, we had to find someone from Purushwadi village who would let us stay at their place. We soon found Sunil's number (a villager) who confirmed on the phone that we could stay at his place. We had no idea who he was or what his home looked like but we were happy to have a confirmation. As we reached Purushwadi, we weren't able to call Sunil due to loss of mobile signal. We saw a few people, asked if they knew Sunil and luckily Sunil was just nearby waiting for us to arrive. He quickly showed us the way to his house. This house was about to be our place of stay for the next 2 nights. You see, it was easy to find a place to stay without Grassroutes' intervention. And believe us, we stayed at Sunil's house and received outstanding hospitality at less than 25% the price that Grassroutes asked for. We, of course, did not have some of the facilities that Grassroutes provides, but we were satisfied that all the money we spent went directly in the pocket of a villager. Note: There aren't any hotels in or around Purushwadi that you can pre-book. You will have to stay at either a villager's own house or in a tent set up by Grassroutes. We visited Purushwadi at the end of June when the peak season had just subsided. If you visit during peak firefly festival season, especially during the weekends, its better you call any of the villagers beforehand to confirm your stay at their house. You could also carry your own tents and sleeping bags and ask a villager to sleep around their house or farms. Our homestay in Purushwadi village: The house that we stayed in Purushwadi village had just the bare minimum required necessities. The house had a clean mattress to sleep, intermittent but sufficient electricity, drinking water and proper washroom. And that was all! Their home was a brick, concrete cum mud house. There were 3 big rooms in total - a kitchen, a sleeping room and a guest room. The washroom was at the back side of the house which could be accessed only by a 1-2 min walk. The furniture inside the house was non-existent. The roof was covered with red clay tiles and only one of the room's floor was tiled; the other had cow dung and mud floor. At the entrance of the house, there was an animal shed for cows and buffaloes. A few things that you should know before directly approaching a homestay in Purushwadi village While not all houses in Purushwadi would be like the one we stayed at, below are few things one must know before approaching a villager to allow you to stay at their home - There was no bed in the house that we stayed in. The mattresses were laid on the floor and we slept on the floor. The family slept in the other room. There was no fan in the room that we slept but we never felt hot or warm. Instead, we slept under the blankets. There was no locker in the house where we could keep our luggage. We kept our bags in one corner of the room. There wasn’t a moment when we felt unsafe. Do not expect any privacy in the house. Remember, you are staying with a family in a small house. Do not expect mineral water. We drank the same water the family members used for drinking purpose. There was no attached bathroom in the house. Most washrooms in Purushwadi were made recently under the Swachh Bharat Yojana (Clean India movement) by Government and they are Indian style. While the Government claims successful completion of building toilets across India as a marketing agenda, note that these toilets were without a flush or running tap water. You use a bucket to flush. They did not even have a light bulb inside the toilet. Since most houses in the villages are built close to each other in narrow lanes, there is no space for toilets to be built just beside the house. Hence these toilets were 1-2 min walk away from the houses near the fields where there was ample space. Water is a scarce resource. Government has built toilets but the village usually gets running water only once a day in the morning. Women gather around in a common tap area every morning with their vessels to fill water that lasts through the day or sometimes more. There isn’t any restaurant in Purushwadi; hence you will not get any untimely meals. You will be served home cooked food that the family of homestay eats which we really liked. Carry your specific food requirements with you. Electricity can be erratic. The house we stayed in had one electric plug which we used for charging our mobiles and camera batteries. Some other houses had TVs too. But one can never predict when electricity would come and go. ​As you must have realized, staying in a small village at a villager's home is not easy. It requires you to adapt your lifestyle and live like them for a day or two. Spending 2 days with a local family in Purushwadi was an eye opener for us in many ways. It taught us how little it takes to be happy in life and how the consumerist society keeps pushing us to stock our houses and lives with unnecessary objects. Had we stayed with Grassroutes, not only would our interaction with the locals be limited and from a distance, but it would in many ways be staged. We learnt that the villagers are instructed to cook only puranpoli (a sweet roti recipe in Maharashtra) when a guest from Grassroutes is sent to their house for a meal (as included in Grassroutes package). While there is nothing wrong with this, it is a staged experience compared to the raw experience that we would prefer. We had all our meals at with the family we stayed with and had no problems satisfying our hunger with whatever they cooked. If you feel any of the above facilities are too inconvenient for your taste, book your stay with Grassroutes where they provide you with a tent stay (common washroom separate) and may have generators running for electricity. Fireflies and Firefly Festival in Purushwadi village Firefly is basically a glow worm or lightning bug found in marshy and wet areas. It chemically produces light from its lower abdomen which is green or yellow in colour depending on the species. This type of light production is called bioluminescence. Fireflies do not bite and live beneath the leaves of trees. Right after the first shower of monsoon, the eggs laid by female fireflies hatch and larva is released. The larvae and the adult fireflies, both glow. The glowing is either a defensive measure or a pattern to attract the opposite sex. There are a lot of species of fireflies prevalent in Purushwadi village for reasons unknown. They hibernate during winter and mate and reproduce during summer. They die in excess rain or heavy showers; hence the best time to see firefly glow is just before a rain or after first few showers of rain. The firefly festival in Purushwadi takes place annually in the months of May and June. Lots of tourists flock Purushwadi in these months to see the thousands of fireflies glow up the trees during the night time. As soon as the darkness fell in the evening, the trees surrounding Purushwadi village used to lit up with glowing fireflies. Sunil, our guide, knew the best sites to spot maximum fireflies and we used to walk with him down the road in the darkness to get the best possible views. We saw hundreds of fireflies dancing to nature's rhythm. The trees were decorated with their flickering lights. A twinkle here and a twinkle there filled our heart with utmost happiness. Our cameras were not able to do justice to what we saw and after numerous trials to get a proper click we gave up. One could never predict in which direction they would see a firefly, at what distance from the camera, for what duration and would glow with how much intensity. All of these factors made it extremely difficult to get good shots even at very high long exposures. We just stood there in the stillness - mesmerized and intoxicated by this natural phenomenon. Sunil even caught a firefly and put it inside a plastic bottle to show a close-up of how beautifully they glowed. We, on the other hand, did not want to trouble the tiny creature and let it fly back to its habitat. Note: The photos of fireflies on the Grassroutes website and their Instagram handle or any other poster you see marketing Purushwadi are for representation purpose only. Our best guess is that these photographs are composited in Photoshop or picked up from the Internet. Do not visit Purushwadi village with hopes to see such extraordinary glow. However, we guarantee that you will be amazed by what you see. Also, note that there is no festival as such. May-June is a tenure when there is the maximum likelihood of seeing fireflies and hence Grassroutes started branding it as fireflies festival. Sounds more fancy to catch reader attention. Our opinion about Grassroutes in Purushwadi Before ending this article, we feel it is important to clarify our stand on Grassroutes as it would differ from most other's who have been to Purushwadi. We appreciate the concept behind Grassroutes and the efforts they are putting. Had it not been for Grassroutes, Purushwadi would be an unknown dot in a map and a place we would never have visited A simple math would tell you that Grassroutes' prices are exorbitant with not enough facility to justify them. They obviously profit a lot from it and pass on little to the villagers We learnt from locals that there were ~3 villagers employed by Grassroutes full-time. There are a few other boys who act as guides for the incoming tourists and are paid on need basis. We learnt that the payment numbers for these guides were miniscule compared to what Grassroutes charge from the visitors We wish that Grassroutes would learn from other organizations like Indiahikes who also employs many local villagers, invests in their career growth and trains them. Indiahikes provides campsites in remote Himalayan locations, acts much more responsibly through green initiatives and charges their customers pretty nominally. We could do a week long Himalayan trek with Indiahikes in as much as we would pay Grassroutes for 2 nights in Purushwadi !! Our experience of experiencing the Turtle festival in a similar small remote village of Velas in Maharashtra tells us that there are better ways of giving back to the village than what Grassroutes does To sum it up, do Grassroutes' initiatives have a positive impact on the village? It seems 'yes'. Do Grassroutes' initiatives have a positive impact on their own pockets? A biiiiig yes! But despite this, we would say the existence of organizations like Grassroutes in this world is better than their absence. The village lifestyle always comes as a good break from city life. So, after our trips to villages like Velas and Purushwadi, we have made it mandatory to visit a rural village annually and participate in rural tourism in our own way. Right from the sweet smell of petrichor, the sound of flames crackling from the earthen pot on the fire, whispers of women gathered at the hand-pump and happy laughs of the children playing in open fields - anything and everything about Purushwadi village have etched a long lasting memory in our heart. And we would like to visit such places again and again! Checkout the subsequent articles - Purushwadi: A photo journey , Things to do in and around Purushwadi and Harishchandragad Fort Trek Have you seen fireflies glowing? Are you aware of any other such village where we can visit next for our next year's village experience? Do let us know in the comment section below. Feel free to share this travel blog on your social media handles. PIN THESE IMAGES Suggested reads - The Turtle Festival in Velas Velas: Life in a Village Places to see around Velas Mawlynnong in Meghalaya - Cleanest village of Asia Mawlynnong - A Photoblog #India #WestIndia #Maharashtra #MumbaiWeekendOutings #PuneWeekendOutings

  • Things to do in and around Purushwadi Village, Maharashtra

    Purushwadi, a small village near Nasik, Maharashtra is famous for 'The Fireflies Festival'. From last few years, it has gained tourists' attention and is counted under the category of 'rural tourism'. The villagers of Purushwadi provide homestays and food to the tourists. We visited Purushwadi village at the beginning of the rainy season to witness the Fireflies Festival. Read our earlier blog on Purushwadi Fireflies Festival to know more about the fireflies and the festival. You can also go through our photo blog on Purushwadi village to get a real picture of what's ahead in Purushwadi for you. At Purushwadi village, it wasn't just the fireflies that amazed us, but we were pleasantly surprised with the village lifestyle, the people and the other places of visit in and around Purushwadi. In this article, we will take you through the things to do in and around Purushwadi village. Read our other articles on Purushwadi village, the Fireflies Festival & Harishchandragad Fort Trek done from Purushwadi by clicking on the images below 11 things to do in and around Purushwadi village: So if you are planning to visit Purushwadi, here is a compilation of 11 things you can do over a 3-4 day period in and around Purushwadi. 1. Witness the firefly festival One cannot miss out on watching the fireflies glow during the night in Purushwadi village. The village is not contaminated by artificial light and the glow of fireflies is more prominent in absolute darkness. The number of fireflies that we saw glowing kept on increasing with every blink of our eye. The flickering fireflies decorated our entire path including the trees and the houses. We were left speechless with this beauty of nature. Ask your guide to take you into the fields to spot plenty of fireflies. However fireflies can only be seen in May - June right after first rains and before full monsoon. 2. Help the villagers in farming Residents of Purushwadi village mainly live on farm produce. If you visit Purushwadi village just before monsoon, the farmers will be busy sowing the seeds and preparing the field for next cultivation. You can help them loosen the soil. They do this with the help of a wooden plough which is pulled by a pair of bulls. The plough is very heavy and the farmers work really hard manoeuvring it with bull's help. It can be easy to forget how hard the farmers work to put food on everyone's table. Taking part in this activity made us learn not to ever waste a grain of food on our plate. ​ 3. Hike to nearby hills Sunil, our host and guide at Purushwadi village took us on a small hike to a nearby hill from where the entire village of Purushwadi was visible. The first few showers of rain were already down and the land had started turning green with grasses and flowering plants. We saw a wonderful sunset from the hill. ​​4. Take a walk in Purushwadi village Walking in the narrow lanes of Purushwadi village is a must-do. This way you can speak with locals, understand their culture, take photographs, play with children and witness their unique way of living. 5. Visit the temple and the school in Purushwadi village We visited both the school and the temple; they are beside each other. We were even lucky to speak with the headmaster of the school and know his future plans regarding the growth of the children and the education system in Purushwadi village. We were glad to know that all the parents in the village are mandated to send their children to school each day without fail - hence the girls are not devoid of education as opposed to certain other villages in India where they are only made to do household work. The school in Purushwadi also provides healthy food to all the students - which is another initiative to ensure that no child skips school. It was also interesting to know that the school has a digital classroom where the students are taught computer. 6. Take a trip to the dam and swim in the lake We walked to another end of the Purushwadi village where there was a small check dam. The dam is built over a small tributary coming from the Mula River. A large lake is formed near the dam where one can dive in and swim in the water to relieve the summer heat. The water from the dam is mainly used for irrigation purposes. ​​7. Indulge in stargazing Due to no light pollution in Purushwadi village, the night sky is perfectly clear. You can click star trails and spot constellations. If you are lucky and the sky is not cloudy, you may even be able to spot The Milky Way. The village houses are also great subjects for night photography. However if you are visiting Purushwadi for fireflies, it would most likely be cloudy and stars would not be visible. If you are in Purushwadi during any other season, do take your tripods for star trails and milky way. 8. Learn to cook Maharashtrian recipes The women in the village houses will be happy to give out their secret recipes of authentic Maharashtrian dishes. You can lend a hand in the kitchen and learn to cook some local dishes. 9. Trek to Harishchandragad Fort Harishchandragad fort is only 35 kilometres away from Purushwadi village. It is the second highest fort of Maharashtra state. Being so near to the fort, we asked Sunil if he could guide us for the trek and he happily agreed. It took us 5 hours in total for the trip to Harishchandragad fort from Purushwadi village. And we were so grateful to our host to have prepared tiffin box for us to carry during the trip. We felt like we went for a picnic just like old school days. You can read more about trek to Harishchandragad fort here. 10. Trek to Kalsubai peak Kalsubai peak is the highest peak of Maharashtra state. The starting point of the trek to Kalsubai peak lies right on the road near a village named Wasali. You can plan to trek Kalsubai peak while going or while coming back from Purushwadi village. However note that one would need 3-4 hrs to trek one way. Though the original trek is a difficult one, there are now ladders and stairs setup in trickier portions making the trek an easy one. One can do a day trek or plan on camping on the peak overnight. 11. Visit Bhandardara Bhandardara is a hill village in the Western Ghat range and is located very near to Purushwadi village (approximately 33 kilometres). Bhandardara is a famous camping site and youngsters stock here to visit the magnificent Arthur Lake. Like other places in the Western Ghats, Bhandardara is absolutely stunning during and after the rainy season. All the above-mentioned places to visit and things to do in and around Purushwadi village are wonderful beyond imagination. We would highly recommend everyone to spare at least 3 full days and preferably 4 days to visit and experience all of these 11 places. The village lifestyle always comes as a good break from city life. So, after our trips to villages like Velas and Purushwadi, we have made it mandatory to visit a rural village annually and participate in rural tourism in our own way. Are you aware of any other such village where we can visit next for our next year's village experience? Do let us know. Checkout other related articles - Purushwadi Firefly Festival, Purushwadi: A photo journey Harishchandragad fort trek How did you find our article on 11 things to do in an around Purushwadi? Do let us know in the comment section below. Feel free to share this travel blog on your social media handles. PIN THESE IMAGES Read our previous blogs on village stays by clicking on the links below: Gandikota - The Grand Canyon of India Places to see around Gandikota The Turtle Festival in Velas Velas: Life in a Village Places to see around Velas Mawlynnong in Meghalaya - Cleanest village of Asia Mawlynnong - A Photoblog #India #WestIndia #Maharashtra #MumbaiWeekendOutings #PuneWeekendOutings

  • Kahani Paradise: Luxury Villa in Gokarna - A review

    Perched on a hilltop overlooking the endless sea in south Gokarna (north Karnataka state, India), right where the Western Ghats plummet into the Arabian Sea, lies a magnificent luxury villa named Kahani Paradise. Built on a remote and unexplored location, Kahani Paradise is a boutique luxury villa hidden amongst lush green vegetation in the vast expanse of coconut, banana and palm trees. This 20-acre estate is most likely the only luxury villa between Goa and Mangalore, which is a 350-kilometre stretch. Finding such a property in the land of beaches and temples, often frequented by pilgrims and backpackers, was a pleasant surprise. We wrote about the hippie town of Gokarna and the places to visit there in our previous article and we mentioned Kahani Paradise as a recommended place to stay in Gokarna. In this article, we review this beautiful property and will convince you why this is the best place to stay in Gokarna. Location of Kahani Paradise, Gokarna Kahani Paradise is located at the end of a winding dirt track in Gokarna. It is literally located in the middle of nowhere. In a way, it is located directly above the Paradise beach but still hidden in an oasis of nature and tranquillity. The last 15-minute stretch of road to reach Kahani Paradise is narrow, bumpy and deep into the hills. We were driving by ourselves and would have got lost in the never-ending trails in the hills, had they not sent a person to pick us up in the market. But once we reached Kahani Paradise, we exactly felt like having entered a paradise. Checkout other articles that may help you in planning a trip to Gokarna and nearyby places - 1. Travel guide to Gokarna 2. Best places to visit near Gokarna 3. Travel guide to Murudeshwar 4. Travel guide to Jog falls Tip: Ask them to arrange for pick-up from the airport or railway station if you are arriving by one of those ways. Finding Kahani Paradise in those endless twisting roads is tricky. If you are driving by yourselves, ask them to send someone towards the market to guide you. Do not trust Google maps, it will take you to a different route altogether. If you want to use Google maps, choose the option of walking to see the correct route to Kahani Paradise (Not the option of driving). Upon arrival, we were greeted traditionally with refreshing fragrant face towels and a flower band. Our luggage was taken care of by the staff. As we settled in the seating area of Kahani Paradise, sipping the fresh fruit juice, we were awestruck by the 360-degree views of the lush green tropical forest with the Arabian Sea in the distance. We felt like entering a fairytale castle when our host and manager of the property, Vicky, was taking us down to our suite. Layout of Kahani Paradise, Gokarna We were extremely impressed by the layout of Kahani Paradise. Entering the main gate, we drove through the paved pathway surrounded by beautifully landscaped vast gardens that gave way to an orchard of coconut, betelnut, palm and banana trees. The walkway was lined with pebbles surrounded by beautiful exotic shrubs and flowering plants. We could hear the forest coming alive with the chirping birds and blooming flowers. We first arrived at the open seating area through an antique Rajasthani door and were welcomed by the breath-taking view where the land meets the sea at a distance; just out of a picture postcard. The seating area at Kahani Paradise is dotted with a hanging antique swing decorated with candles, a huge Naga boat coffee table, plenty of vintage knick-knacks, comfortable sofas and lots of books and magazines. The seating area overlooked a natural-rock infinity pool that further overlooked the forest scape and the Arabian sea in distance. The pool was surrounded by comfortable canopied sunbeds. An open-air massage and spa were located at one of the quietest spots below the infinity pool. The pan-Asian style villa has three buildings in total. In the centre is the seating area with 3 suites - Blue suite depicting ocean on the left, Green suite depicting forest on the right, and Master suite providing a panoramic view of the forest and ocean on the top of the seating area. All these 3 suites have a stunning view of the land meeting the sea. The second building towards the left of the central seating area houses 2 suites for wildlife lovers (Peacock suite and Elephant suite). These 2 suites had a common patio providing an amazing view of the jungle and ocean and is ideal for families. The third building towards the right of the central seating area houses the luxurious Queen suite. Above the Palace suite is the open dining area with an enormous 12-seater Teak wood dining table. The dining area also accommodated an antique pair of wooden horse sculptures that were intricately carved. The entire outer structure of Kahani Paradise is made up of local red laterite rocks which gives a castle-like appearance to the villa. The interiors housed limited furniture, beautiful artefacts, soft and subtle colours, and lots of natural light and space. Though all the 6 suites are different, they share the same aesthetics. Uniquely, each suite at Kahani Paradise has a huge antique door sourced from different parts of India. And each suite is so spacious that they can easily take an extra bed for a family to stay comfortably. The highest point at Kahani Paradise, also popular as ‘Secret Place’, is towards the backside of the villa overlooking the Paradise beach. You will have to walk on the pebbled pathway surrounded by tall tress to reach Secret Place. It is beautifully created sunset spot along with a smaller infinity pool and a stylish shack. It certainly is a secret spot as every time we went there, we found no sign of human existence. The staff can arrange for a small cocktail party near the pool where you can just sit, relax, sip the drinks and watch the sun melt in the sea. The Queen suite at Kahani Paradise, Gokarna We stayed in the Queen suite at Kahani Paradise. As we unchained the padlock of the huge Rajasthani door, we were welcomed inside the gigantic suite with large floor-to-ceiling windows, tall arches and exceptionally stylish décor. The marble-floored suite was spacious and had a king-size bed with plenty of comfortable pillows, a pair of antique bedside lamps, two wooden closets, a sofa, a work table, a full-size antique mirror and various other ancient treasures. The en-suite bathroom was enormous with a big marble bathtub, a rain shower with 24-hour hot and cold-water supply and a separate toilet area. The yellow lights provided a romantic appeal to the suite and owing to the large windows we were blessed to have lots of natural light as well. A personal note written to us explained how the air-conditioning and Wi-fi worked and detailed out the whereabouts of other amenities like hair-dryer, bath-robes, safes, tea/ coffee maker, mini-refrigerator stocked with beverages, and the complimentary products like chemical-free toiletries (of Ayca brand - which we totally loved) and disposable slippers. Every single detail in our suite, right from the contemporary décor, curated spaces, authentic Indian textile, and the colour palettes, was thought with precision and created with love. The suite also had a Bluetooth enabled Bose speaker so that we could play our desired music. Books and magazines all over the place turned out to be a great evening time reads. Television is intentionally left out to keep the daily world away. Overall, the suite seemed like an ancient royal palace with modern luxuries. Kahani behind Kahani Paradise, Gokarna: Just when we were discussing and debating over who would have planned to construct such a luxurious villa in this remote area of south Gokarna, we were fortunate to meet Mr. Leric Reeches, the managing director of Kahani Paradise, who told us the story behind this project. The owner of Kahani Paradise, a British family, were looking for a holiday home in India. They handed the task of searching for a suitable place to build their home to Leric. In 2005, Leric came across this isolated piece of agricultural land and within months it was bought. All the antiques were picked and sourced from different parts of the world by the owners in the initial few years. But the project was delayed due to various reasons and the construction of the villa started only in 2015, 10 years later. Philip Syborn, a British architect, assisted in designing the villa. His wife, Sarah Syborn, did the gardens and landscaping. Saloni Sharma from Delhi curated the furniture and textiles. No compromises were made in the villa’s creation and no detail has been overlooked. And it was combined hard work and efforts put by several passionate people, that this villa, with 6 suites, was ready in October 2017. The luxury villa was named ‘Kahani Paradise’ by the owners and it remains true to its name. Kahani Paradise opened its doors to its first guests in January 2018. Every year, the British family visit their Indian home during the Christmas holidays. Today, the luxurious villa can be booked by guests in its entirety or room-by-room. Kahani Paradise, Gokarna – An eco-friendly luxurious villa: The British family put up a great deal of thought and money to make Kahani Paradise an eco-friendly villa. Below the 3 buildings of Kahani Paradise is a water tank with a capacity of 1 million litres. The roof of all the buildings is connected to pipes, that lead the rainwater to eventually get stored in this underground tank. The water is filtered through various technologies and then used for different other purposes making Kahani Paradise the only self-sufficient property in Gokarna. Food at Kahani Paradise, Gokarna: We were treated with delicious local and international cuisines at the restaurant of Kahani Paradise. The food at Kahani Paradise is freshly made with all the ingredients sourced from the local market. The seafood is bought fresh each day from the local fishermen. There is a set menu but the chef is anytime happy to cook anything based on the guest’s preferences. The menu includes Indian, Continental, Italian and local Gokarna cuisines and everything that they made tasted yummy. They also have a wonderful selection of drinks. The breakfast included exotic fruits, fresh juices, teas, coffees, an Indian dish or an English breakfast to choose from. The chef recommended his signature dishes during lunch and dinner and they were incredible and never went wrong. The staff at the restaurant were humble and polite and stood on their toes to cater to any of our requirements. Staff at Kahani Paradise, Gokarna: The staff at Kahani Paradise was warm and welcoming and catered to all our needs and requirements with a smile. Each one of them was knowledgeable and friendly. They worked hard to make us feel at home and always greeted us when we met. They went out of their way when we asked one of them to accompany us for a property tour and to explore the nearby village and Paradise beach. Most of the staff were local but still were very well trained and spoke fluent English. Their service was brilliant and the staff provided us with our personal space, they were never too obtrusive nor inattentive. Special mention to Vicky, Sandhya, Ganesh and Devender to make our stay a memorable one. Our experience at Kahani Paradise, Gokarna: We visited Kahani Paradise during the end of monsoon and unfortunately, we weren’t able to venture out much due to continuous downpour. But we treasured every minute we spent at the villa. We loved our suite and spent our time listening to our favourite peaceful music (using their Bluetooth Bose speakers) or reading books and magazines. We were grateful that the rooms were not equipped with any television and we got an opportunity to spend ample time with each other. The strong Wi-Fi signals kept us connected to the outside world – not that we needed it! We spent most of our time in the seating area of the villa, either indulged in reading or admiring the spellbinding views. We never enjoyed the rain as much as at Kahani Paradise; we saw nature become lively and lush green. We ate the delicious meals prepared by the chef to our heart’s content. We caught up on our sleep, thanks to the peaceful silence, and woke up to the pleasant chirping of birds. We spent a lot of time at their secret hideout with a hope that clouds would clear and we shall be greeted with a wonderful sunset (but it did not happen). However, to our surprise, we did see little bit of sunrise on one of the days! We also visited the Paradise beach and went on a stroll to Belekan village to interact with the locals. We went photographing the rare birds in the surrounding jungle and were lucky to spot a Hornbill couple. We went for a relaxing dip in the infinity pool and watched the ferries making trips in the sea and the sun setting down behind the clouds. We also took a walk in the villa’s tropical gardens and sprawling surroundings and appreciated the beauty of nature in the beautiful flora and fauna that had come alive because of rain. We walked down to the villa’s meditation ground to catch up on some peaceful time and sat around the big pool specially made for harvesting and storing water. We also had an option to rent Kahani Paradise's own Royal Enfield motorbike or a vintage jeep and visit the nearby beaches, temples or Gokarna market, but it was raining all the while and we did not feel like leaving this piece of paradise to roam around in Gokarna. Other things that we would have loved to do but did not because of rain is playing outdoor sports such as badminton, table tennis or cricket with other guests or locals in their open grounds, or calling a yoga expert on request to try yoga and meditation besides the pool or in one of the gardens. We felt so relaxed while at the luxurious villa that we did not require any holistic treatment to be at ease, but their open-air massage centre overlooking the green landscapes surely piqued our interest. During the evening time, the villa lits up with romantic lighting and that used to be our favourite time of the day. We let ourselves be pampered by the luxury and the impeccable service of the staff. All in all, we had a marvellous time at Kahani Paradise and a 2-night stay left us with a feeling of attachment to the people and aura of the place. Nonetheless, we were rejuvenated to return to our old life. Kahani Paradise is highly recommended for people looking for peace and privacy; away from the noise, crowd and hustle-bustle of the city. It is ideal for solo travellers, couples and families who want to spend quality time. It is not a place for friends looking for a destination to party as tranquillity is the USP of this place. Do not expect a resort-level service. Kahani Paradise is more of a homestay with luxurious amenities. The staff will pamper you and arrange for whatever you ask for within reach. It is certainly a paradise and the owners will certainly like to keep it like that way. PIN THESE IMAGES Kahani Paradise is one of the most beautiful properties we have stayed at. If you would like to book a stay at Kahani Paradise, you can check their official website or click on below sites to find the current prices - How did you like our review of the luxury villa? Would you like to stay here? Do let us know in the comment section below. All opinions expressed above are our own based on our experience and are not influenced by Kahani Paradise's management. #India #SouthIndia #Karnataka #BengaluruWeekendOutings #MumbaiWeekendOutings #HyderabadWeekendOutings #PuneWeekendOutings #Accommodation

  • Introduction to Spiti Valley - Surreal Spiti

    To us, Himalayas always meant lush-green forests, snow-capped high mountain peaks and hills covered with greenery. A trip to Spiti Valley, India changed that perspective. Spiti Valley, located across the main range of the Himalayas, is full of barren hills, bare mountainsides, rough terrain, and more like a dry desert. We fall short of words in describing the captivating beauty of Spiti Valley. It is a land lost in time, like a place that humanity forgot about. Spiti valley is so tranquil that you could hear your heartbeat, skies so clear that you could spot Milky Way with naked eyes, people so amazing that they touch your heart and soul, and the land so old that you could still find evidence of Tethys Sea that existed during Mesozoic era. This blog – Introduction to Spiti Valley, will give you a peek into the location, geography, history, culture and weather of Spiti valley. Read our previous blogs on Spiti Valley by clicking on the links or images below: 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley (This blog) 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake In this travel series – ‘Surreal Spiti' we give you a glimpse of the people, the culture and the ways of life in Spiti Valley in detail. This series will serve as a one-stop travel guide which will give you all the information required about Spiti Valley along with recommendations on stay, activities and itinerary so that you can plan your own trip to Spiti Valley. The first article in the series – ‘Introduction to Spiti Valley’ is where we introduce Spiti Valley to you and give you a basic understanding of location, history, people and culture of this valley. At the end of this article, you would be convinced that Spiti Valley is worth travelling to and can move on to the next article where we show how you can plan your trip to Spiti Valley. Location of Spiti Valley Where is Spiti Valley? Most of the metro-city dwellers would have never heard the name ‘Spiti’, let alone know its location. The fact that it is unknown to most tourists makes it so heavenly. Spiti Valley is located high in the Himalayas in the northern part of India in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The spectacular valley is situated on the India-Tibet border. Spiti Valley is a high-altitude, trans-Himalayan land which is a dry and cold desert, has snow-capped mountain peaks, ancient monasteries, rough terrains, coloured face-rocks, pristine emerald lakes, narrow passes and frozen glaciers. The valley originates from the 16,000 feet high Kunzum pass and is often referred to as ‘the middle land’ – meaning the land between India and Tibet or the land surrounded by mountain ranges on all the sides. Spiti River, originating from the east of the Kunzum Pass, flows through the centre of Spiti Valley, giving its name to the valley and the district. Spiti Valley lies in the remotest part of Himachal Pradesh. Let us give you an idea about Himachal Pradesh. Towards the south of the state is Shimla, towards north-west lies Dharamshala, McLeodganj (Kangra district) and Dalhousie (Chamba district), Manali (Kullu district) is located in the centre, and towards the north-east lies Lahaul and Spiti Valley. Lahaul and Spiti district is the largest district in terms of area in the state of Himachal Pradesh. As per Census 2011, district of Lahaul & Spiti is 3rd least populated district in India (approx. 31k is the population) and the 2nd least densely populated district in India (approx. 2.3 people per Sq. Km). For those who are still confused, Spiti and Lahaul are two different places separated by high mountain ranges like Rohtang Pass (13051 feet) and Kunzum Pass (15059 feet). Spiti Valley is vastly different from Lahaul Valley and has distinctly different terrain, area, history and culture. Previously, these were two separate districts with Kardang as the capital of Lahaul district and Dhankar as the capital of Spiti district. The two districts were merged in the year 1960 and presently the administrative quarter lies in Keylong, located in Lahaul Valley. The Spiti sub-division is more barren and difficult to traverse, with an average elevation of 14,000 feet; whereas the Lahaul sub-division is greener, more fertile and comparatively easy to reach. Understanding the Geography of Spiti Valley Spiti Valley is situated in the rain shadow area; hence there is no to negligible rain as the mountains exclude the valley from the monsoon rains. In fact, Spiti Valley only receives an average annual rainfall of 170 mm. Though there is plenty of ice water in the glaciers above and the rivers below, the flatlands of the valley are dry. With almost no rain and excessive snowfall, Spiti seems to be a land of contrasts – a vast expanse of barren area encircles green patches of cultivation and cedar tree orchards. The terrain is dry and rough and the erosions carve in most amazing shapes and colours. The barren hills, grey slopes and steep gorges in Spiti Valley often amaze the travellers. However, these days due to changes in climate and the sudden rush of rain in Spiti Valley, the weather is no more dry or arid. People are now able to grow vegetables like green peas, potatoes, cabbage and radish. Snowfall serves the purpose of field irrigation. Owing to the constraints due to geographical, climatic and topographic extremes, Spitians live in the most difficult living conditions. Brief History of the Spiti Valley As mentioned earlier, history of Spiti can be traced to Mesozoic Era. Around 150 million years ago, the landmass on earth was split into two continents – Laurasia and Gondwana. Tethys Sea, the only ocean, used to be between these continents. These two continents started drifting towards each other resulting in a collision and formation of the Himalayas. Tethys Sea disappeared and the once-living creatures of the sea died and turned into fossils. Spiti Valley is the part of the trans-Himalayan range where the Tethys Sea used to exist and the fossilized creatures can still be found in few areas of the valley. Fossil imprints on stone are easy to find and you will come across shops selling them when you travel to Spiti Valley. A lot of history related to Spiti Valley has been lost. The earliest reliable information dates back to AD 1055. Spiti Valley used to be under the rule of Lhasa and the Tibetans. Till the 17th century, Spiti Valley remained under the rule of Tibet and hence a distinct Buddhist culture is clearly evident. In early 18th century, King Jamya of Ladakh established Ladakhi rule over the entire territory of Spiti valley. By end of 18th century, Spiti Valley was under the rule of Raja Mansingh of Kullu. In the 19th century, Spiti Valley changed hands to Tibetan rulers and again to Ladakhi rulers. It is during this period that the valley was plundered and the monasteries were looted. In 1846, Spiti Valley was annexed to the British empire. With Indian independence in 1947, Spiti became part of Indian Republic. The capital of Spiti was changed from Dhankar to Kaza during this time. Spitians did not take part in the first and second Indian general elections of 1952 and 1957 due to difficult terrain and lack of roads. However, post this when it was time for members of parliament to elect Indian President, one of the members filed a court case as there was no representation from Spiti despite having 2 seats allocated. Hence, the court forced the government to hold elections in Spiti Valley. This was the first time democracy was introduced in this region and till date Tashigang village in Spiti Valley holds the record for being world's highest polling station. It recorded 36 votes in 2019 elections. In 1962, due to Chinese aggression, Spiti was put within the ‘inner line’. The fruitful consequence of 1962 war was the building of roads. Two roads were built for defence needs – one from Shimla-Kinnaur-Sumdo to Kaza and second over 2 high passes, the Kunzum Pass and the Rohtang Pass. As a consequence of the inner line, no foreigner was allowed and Indian national required special permits to enter Spiti Valley. This lasted till 1993 when these rules were abandoned. Tourism to Spiti Valley started only after this and hence it is still raw, authentic and untouched by mindless commercialisation. Culture in Spiti Valley People of Spiti Valley: Due to high-elevation, heavy snow, less vegetation, harsh terrain and being cut-off from the outside world for 4-5 months due to road closure in winter, the people of Spiti valley have to face a lot of hardships. Still, they always have a smile on their face and brave all the difficulties diligently. Spitians are extremely simple, innocent and highly spiritual. Some loss in cultural value is seen in the present days with progress and modernization. Traditional communities in Spiti Valley observe inheritance system similar to Tibetans. The family in Spiti community is headed by a senior male member who is known as Yunda, while his wife is known as Yundamo. They gain these titles by being the oldest member in the generation. After the parent’s death, the eldest son inherits family property, the eldest daughter inherits the jewellery, while the other siblings get nothing. Religion in Spiti Valley: Spiti Valley often referred to as the ‘land of Lamas’, is a Buddhist land. Spitians follow Vajrayana Buddhism, similar to that found in neighbouring Ladakh and Tibet. Spiti Valley is dotted with several ancient monasteries and is a research and cultural centre for Buddhists. 62% of the population of Lahaul and Spiti Valley are Buddhists, 36% are Hindus and the rest is divided amongst Muslims, Christians and other religions. Before the spread of Buddhism, Spitians were followers of ‘Bon’ religion – where animal and human sacrifices were made to please the Gods and spirits. It is said that some Lamas residing in the remote areas of Spiti Valley still practice Bon religion. Buddhism in Spiti became popular between 8th-10th century. In the 8th century, the second Buddha (Guru Rinpoche) stayed and meditated in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh for several years. In the 10th century, the Kings of Tibet sent a few Tibetan scholars across the Himalayas to spread Buddhism in the areas of Lahaul and Spiti Valley. Hence, you will find the monasteries of Spiti Valley to be similar in architecture, design and paintings as found in Leh-Ladakh, Zanskar, Tibet or Bhutan. Languages spoken in Spiti Valley: People in Spiti Valley speak Bhoti, Hindi, English and Sanskrit language. Bhoti is the local language and is similar to the Ladakhi and Tibetan languages. During our visit, we found everyone speaking and understanding the English or Hindi language quite well. The medium of education in schools of Spiti Valley is in the English language. Festivals of Spiti Valley: Losar festival, also known as Halda in the local Bhoti language, is one of the major festivals celebrated by the people of Spiti Valley. An elderly member of every household burns an incense stick in their house, thereafter few members of the family bring that incense stick into the open courtyard and piles it over the rest brought by other households of the community, making a bonfire. The bonfire is worshipped and the Goddess of Wealth is invited to bless the community. Losar festival is celebrated in January or February, depending on an auspicious day decided by the Lamas. Occupation of locals in Spiti Valley: Tourism and agriculture are the main sources of livelihood for the locals of Spiti Valley. Guesthouses, hotels, homestays, restaurants, delis, travel agencies and souvenir shops have sprouted in the areas where a boom in tourism has begun. Green peas and potato farming are common. Radish, cabbage, leafy vegetables, carrots and tomatoes are also grown in the vast fields of Spiti Valley. Other occupations include government jobs, business, artistic and craftwork, animal husbandry and private jobs. As the entire area is mountainous and prone to earthquakes, houses are generally single or double-storeyed and constructed in Tibetan architectural style. During snowy winters, transportation is largely affected due to landslides and roadblocks and the locals have to go through a lot of hardships. Spitians dry the grains, vegetables and pulses in summer months, preserve and store them, and survive on these stocks during winter. Best time to visit Spiti Valley The duration between the months of mid-May to mid-October is the best time to travel to Spiti Valley. This is when the roads open after being blocked by snow during winter. The temperature remains well within 15-20 degree Celsius along with a gentle breeze. The valley is dotted with vibrant flowers and green vegetation. However, light woollens are recommended as the nights are cold. During winter, between November to March, it snows heavily in Spiti Valley. The average annual snowfall in Spiti Valley is about 7 feet. Though tourists do not prefer travelling to Spiti Valley in the winters, there are some set of travellers who fancy visiting the valley when it is completely covered in white snow. Wildlife enthusiasts often travel to Spiti Valley during winter in search of snow leopards. The road from Kullu/ Manali is closed during this time, nevertheless one can travel from the Shimla-Kinnaur route if the weather conditions are not very extreme. With changes in climate due to global warming, the weather in Spiti Valley is rather puzzling in the present time. Summers are scorching, winters are icy-cold but shorter and rainfall has increased in the valley. The sun feels hot, shades feel cold and nights are usually chilly. Spiti Valley Tours Choosing a travel operator is a tough decision. While we plan all our travels on our own, planning a trip to Spiti Valley was tormenting. We were travelling during the peak season (August), and it was a nightmare looking out for experienced drivers (who are acquainted with driving on the most dangerous road of the world) and decent accommodations (very few are listed on the travel websites and most were unavailable). That is when the tour operator ‘Spiti Valley Tours’ came to our rescue. Spiti Valley Tours is located in the heart of Spiti Valley and hence we were saved from the ties of the middlemen commissions by agents operating from other areas. They have a network of hotels and experienced drivers with whom they have been maintaining a healthy relationship since the past 10 years; hence decent rooms at best rates are guaranteed. Mr. Lara Tsering and Mr. Mukesh from Spiti Valley Tours planned and organised an excellent customised tour to Spiti Valley within our budget. The best part is that they believe in responsible and sustainable tourism that coincides with our travel style. We highly recommend booking your trip to Spiti Valley with them. You can book your tour with Spiti Valley Tours through their official website by leaving them a query or by directly contacting them via e-mail or call. PIN THESE IMAGES Spiti Valley is to be enjoyed in all its aspects – culture, people, barren mountains, scree slopes, history and now coming of modernity. In the next article – Plan your trip to Spiti Valley, we will give you a brief idea on the places to visit in Spiti Valley and how to go about planning your trip to Spiti Valley. So, stay tuned! Do let us know if you found our article on ‘Introduction to Spiti Valley’ useful and interesting. Drop your thoughts in the comment section below. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

  • Kinnaur Valley, Himachal Pradesh - Surreal Spiti

    Most tourists believe that state of Himachal Pradesh in India = Shimla + Manali. Few have thought beyond this notion and ventured to the unknown paradise named ‘Spiti Valley’. In our previous two blogs of the series ‘Surreal Spiti’, we introduced you to Spiti Valley, its location, places to visit in Spiti valley, an ideal itinerary and how you can plan your trip to Spiti Valley. As mentioned in the second blog - Plan your trip to Spiti, Spiti Valley can be reached either from Shimla-Kinnaur route or Manali route. We recommend the complete circuit route while planning a trip to Spiti Valley, i.e. reach Spiti Valley from Shimla-Kinnaur route and exit via the Manali route. So before writing about places to visit in Spiti Valley in-depth, we decided to pen down a travel guide to Kinnaur Valley. Kinnaur Valley has some beautiful hidden gems that not many travellers know about. These hidden gems of Kinnaur can be visited before proceeding to Spiti Valley or a tour to Kinnaur Valley can be planned as a stand-alone trip. This article will give you an in-depth understanding of Kinnaur valley, places to visit in Kinnaur and ideal itinerary for Kinnaur. 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley (This blog) 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake Location of Kinnaur Valley: Kinnaur valley is located in the northeastern part of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is one of the 12 districts of the state. It is considered as an offbeat location as few travellers care to visit it before moving on to Spiti Valley. Kinnaur Valley is known for its abundant apple orchards, thick forested hills and mountains, beautiful tiny settlements, and of course the ever-adventurous roads. It is surrounded by greenwood mountains, ranging in altitude from 7,610 feet to 22,360 feet. Sangla, Chitkul, Kalpa, Khab and Nako are the main attractions to visit in Kinnaur Valley. How to reach Kinnaur Valley: Reckong Peo is the administrative headquarter of Kinnaur Valley district. Jubbarhatti airport in Shimla (250 kilometres) and Shimla railway station (230 kilometres) is the closest airport and railway station to Reckong Peo/ Kinnaur Valley. From Shimla, you can opt to reach Kinnaur Valley either by hiring a taxi or via private/state-run buses. Chandigarh airport/ railway station are the best places to start your journey to Kinnaur Valley if you are not from the north India and are arriving from other parts of India. Chandigarh is well connected through all modes of transportation with rest of India and is approximately 350 kilometres away from Kinnaur Valley. The Hindustan Tibet Highway (NH-5) from Shimla to Khab passes through Kinnaur Valley and is considered as one of the most treacherous/ deadliest roads in the world. The route to Kinnaur Valley is as follows: Shimla – Narkanda – Karcham. From Karcham, the route bifurcates where one goes to Reckong Peo and Kalpa and other goes towards Sangla and Chitkul. Best time to visit Kinnaur Valley: March to July and October - November are the best time to visit Kinnaur Valley. During this time, the weather is cool and pleasant and all the roads are open. October - November are colder but this is when apple orchards are harvested. August to mid-September is monsoon and road closures due to landslides can be common. December to February are peak winter months when Kinnaur Valley witnesses snowfall. Roads to Sangla and Chitkul often close down due to heavy snow and most hotels and guest houses remain closed. Places to visit in Kinnaur Valley: Sangla Valley (Altitude: 8600 feet) Sangla Valley is one of the most captivating valleys in the entire Kinnaur Valley district. It is also popularly known as Baspa Valley as it is located right on the banks of the scenic Baspa River. Sangla Valley is a major base camp for several trekking trails in the Himalayas. The valley is blessed with cedar and fir trees, red apple orchards, evergreen forests, apricots and walnuts. There is a perfect amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist culture in Sangla Valley. In fact, the two most visited attractions – Bering Nag temple and Sangla Buddhist temple are located right opposite to each other in Sangla Valley. Bering Nag temple is completely made out of wood and has a remarkable architecture with fine wooden carvings. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Bering Nag temple is just a 15-minute hike from the plains of the Sangla Valley. Sangla Buddhist temple is located in the same courtyard as that of Bering Nag temple. The sight of intricately carved wooden dragons at the entrance of the Buddhist temple is eye-catching. The architecture of these structures are distinct Kinnauri style. Kamru Fort is another 5-minute hike from the Bering Nag temple complex. The fort aka temple is multi-storeyed and looks like a tower. Entry inside the fort is not allowed but you can visit its courtyard and appreciate the fort from outside. The caretaker outside the fort will provide each one of you with a Himachali cap and a holy thread to tie around your waist and you are allowed entry only after wearing these. The Kamru Fort is some 1500 years old and is entirely made of wood which still remains fresh and intact. Its architecture is truly appreciable. Kamru Fort is set at a picturesque location and you will get a panoramic view of the entire Sangla Valley from the courtyard of the Kamru Fort. Hike to all these above-mentioned places is through Sangla village and the ascent is gradual. Do not forget to stop and admire the view every now and then during your hike. The path is filled with scenic landscapes, apple and apricot laden trees and cute Himachali houses. It is recommended you visit these places early in the morning for best scenic views. Rakcham (Altitude: 9510 feet) Rakcham village is located on the way from Sangla to Chitkul just about 40 mins from Sangla. During our visit in August month, the fields surrounding the village were covered with striking pink-coloured flowers. We learnt that those were Buckwheat plantations. Strolling through the narrow lanes surrounded by beautiful wooden houses and storage spaces, we reached the Rakcham temple. The temple was closed but looked amazing from outside. Nevertheless, we got an opportunity to interact with kids and locals in the temple complex. We learnt from locals that Rakcham was awarded the title of best modern village by President of India in 2010 though we did not find any concrete evidence of this online. Rakcham village is a must-visit while on your way to Chitkul. It also has some homestays and camping options if one chooses to stay overnight. Spend some time here to appreciate its beauty. Chitkul (Altitude: 11320 feet) Chitkul village is located at a distance of 25 odd kilometres (1 hour) from Sangla Valley. Just like Sangla Valley, Rakcham and Chitkul are also located at the banks of Baspa River. Chitkul village is called as India’s last village as it is the last inhabited village located close to the Indo-Tibet border. Without any doubt, it is the most beautiful village in Kinnaur Valley. Chitkul is a starting point to many short and long treks such as Lamkhaga Pass trek, Flag peak trek to name a few. The sight of the Baspa River with spellbinding views of the Kinner Kailash mountain range in the backdrop was the highlight of our trip to Chitkul. As it is located in the Baspa basin, the soil of Chitkul is very fertile. Chitkul’s high-quality potatoes are well-known and are sold at very expensive rates in North India. The Mathi Devi temple in Chitkul is said to be 500 years old. The temple is built in traditional Kinnauri style and is dedicated to Goddess Durga. It has a big courtyard and can accommodate a large crowd during celebrations and festivals. Most villagers in Chitkul live on agriculture and tourism. The walk in the village is extremely pleasing and awe-inspiring. It is perfect heaven if you seek to run away from Delhi’s or Chandigarh’s crowd for a few days. There are number of accommodation options in Chitkul from homestays, campsites to hostels. However do not expect any luxury accommodations here. Kalpa (Altitude: 9710 feet) Kalpa is often treated as a transit town by travellers en-route to Spiti Valley. The town, however, offers the best views of the Kinner Kailash mountain range. The Kinner mountains are visible from any point in Kalpa and hence this town is known for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets in the wake of snow-covered mountains. Do not miss visiting the suicide point in Kalpa during the evening to catch a stunning sunset. The Shiva Linga peak at 20000 feet amidst the Kinner-Kailash ranges is worshipped and held high amongst Hindus. If you have time in hand, also visit Roghi village that is located 8 kilometres from Kalpa. Roghi is well-known for the ancient Sapni fort that opens once in 7 years and is surrounded by the Himalayas. Khab (Altitude: 8000 feet) The Hindustan Tibet Highway, referred as one of the world’s most dangerous roads, ends at Khab. Khab is basically a place where the Satluj River and Spiti River meet. A motorable bridge is constructed over the confluence of the two rivers. Just ahead of the bridge, there is a section which is carved out of the mountain with a road running through it, almost like a one wall tunnel. The NH-505 highway starts from Khab and takes one to Spiti Valley. Khab is just a 15-20-minute pit-stop to view the river confluence and photograph the surrounding before moving on to Nako. Nako (Altitude: 12010 feet) Zig-zag roads, also known as the Kah loops (series of hairpin bends), leads one to Nako village from Khab. The ascend is almost around 3000 feet and suddenly the surroundings start changing while on this route. The mountains start becoming barren and the slopes become scree. Nako looks more a part of Spiti Valley than Kinnaur Valley but it is technically located in the latter. Nako is considered as Upper Kinnaur Valley but its landscape and topography match that of Spiti Valley. Nako Lake is a man-made lake surrounded by barren hills with willow and poplar plantation. The water in the lake is believed to change colour depending on the time of your visit. During the dawn, it looks like a pond of blue water, during day-time it turns green and by dusk you can see the water change colour to orange. There are some fully grown trees in the lake. The lake is considered extremely holy as Guru Padmasambhava (also known as 2nd Buddha) is said to have meditated here, hence no swimming or fishing is allowed inside the lake. Entire Nako village is built around Nako Lake and you will have to ask for directions to reach here as the route is through multiple narrow lanes. Nako monastery dates back to 11th century and is a primary attraction of the Nako village. The monastery is set in a picturesque location with a view of scenic mountains in the backdrop. The old monastery was slightly knocked down during an earthquake and hence a new one was built beside it. Both are painted with striking red colour from outside. Photography is not allowed in the old monastery but is allowed in newer one. The old monastery is generally kept closed but still can be visited. We were lucky to meet a monk who opened the old monastery for us. It is dark from inside and has a small opening at the roof which is the only source of light. The walls of the monastery were profusely painted with colourful idols and mandalas. The monastery housed a statue of Guru Padmasambhava and Lady Tara. The red-robed monk who accompanied us was kind enough to explain to us the names of God and Goddess and meaning of different colours, paintings, flags and idols. The new monastery was inaugurated by His Holiness Dalai Lama. It is bigger than the old one has a lot of openings for light and ventilation. There are some hotels and homestays in Nako if you would like to stay overnight. Ideal itinerary for Kinnaur Valley: Itinerary for your Kinnaur Valley trip would be purely based on the amount of time you have in hand. We feel that a minimum of 7 nights and 8 days are required to cover the most popular attractions if you fly in and out of Chandigarh. Day 1 – Arrive Chandigarh and drive to Narkanda. Night stay in Narkanda Day 2 – Narkanda to Sangla. Night stay in Sangla Day 3 - Sightseeing in Sangla and Rakcham. Drive to Chitkul. Night stay in Chitkul Day 4 - Chitkul sightseeing. Night stay in Chitkul Day 5 – Chitkul to Khab to Nako. Night stay in Nako Day 6 – Sightseeing in Nako. Nako to Kalpa. Night stay in Kalpa Day 7 – Sightseeing in Kalpa. Kalpa to Chail. Night stay in Chail Day 8 – Chail to Chandigarh The above itinerary is recommended if you are on a week long trip to Kinnaur valley. In case you would like to touch upon Kinnaur valley while travelling to Spiti Valley, you can spend couple of nights in Kinnaur valley - Day 1 - Arrive Chandigarh and drive to Narkanda. Night stay in Narkanda Day 2 - Narkanda to Sangla. Night stay in Sangla Day 3 - Sangla to Rakcham to Chitkul to Kalpa. Night stay in Kalpa Day 4 - Kalpa to Khab to Nako to Gue to Tabo. Night stay in Tabo You will enter Spiti valley after Nako at a village called Sumdo. Post this you can resume your Spiti itinerary and head towards Tabo. Permit requirements to visit Kinnaur Valley: Indians, as well as foreign nationalists, do not require any permits for places to visit in Kinnaur Valley. Indians do not need a permit to visit Spiti Valley as well. However, foreigners who are interested to venture beyond Nako village to Spiti valley are required to obtain a permit. How to get those permits? Read about it in our previous blog – Plan your trip to Spiti Valley. PIN THESE IMAGES We hope this article covers most of the information for you to successfully plan a trip to Kinnaur Valley. If you feel we have left out any details, do let us know in the comment section below. Also, feel free to ask any queries or doubts you have about Kinnaur Valley. Adios. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

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